The graphite arc-discharge in the atmosphere consisting of CCl4 40 Torr and increasing partial pressure of He from 0 to 300 Torr produced, in addition to carbon species such as graphite and fullerenes C-60 and C-70, numerous chlorinated carbon clusters (CCCs). The yields of some CCCs, including C6Cl6 (perchlorobenzene), C10Cl8 (perchloronaphthalene), C12Cl8 (perchloroacenaphthylene) and C12Cl8 (isomer II), C14Cl8 (isomer I), C16Cl10 (perchlorofluoranthene), C18Cl10 (isomer I and II), and C20Cl10 (isomer I), correspond well with C-60 yields, which may imply these CCCs share the same growth mechanism with fullerenes. Such a yield correlation can be used to distinguish the fullerene precursors from the irrelevant by-products, thus contributes to the mechanistic study of fullerene formation. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.