Without performing any charge transfer chemical reaction, C-60 and its derivatives could be analyzed directly by electrospray mass spectrometry. Oxidation or reduction at the metal/solution interface of the probe tip was probably responsible for the formation of these radical cations and anions. This technique appeared to be superior to desorption chemical ionization and fast-atom bombardment ionization in the analysis of C-60 derivatives because the mass spectra were characterized by molecular ions with little or no fragmentation.