INTERACTION OF MN+ AND MN-2(+) WITH C-60 - EXOHEDRAL AND ENDOHEDRAL METAL-FULLERENE BONDING

Mn+ and Mn-2(+) were reacted with C-60 vapor in a guided-ion beam mass spectrometer. In addition to the expected charge transfer and fragmentation products, we also observed two distinct forms of an MnC60+ adduct. At low collision energies a weakly bound adduct forms with no activation energy. This is attributed to an exohedral complex. At high collision energies a second isomer of MnC60+, is observed, that has a substantial activation barrier for formation and decomposition. Possible structures for this high energy isomer are discussed. In reaction with Mn-2(+), exohedral adduct formation efficiency is substantially increased, yet no di-manganese adduct is observed.