FIRST X-RAY-DIFFRACTION ANALYSIS OF PRESSURE POLYMERIZED C-60 SINGLE-CRYSTALS

It is shown that C-60 Single crystals can be polymerized under relativ ely modest pressure-temperature conditions. The resulting single cryst als exhibit long-range order and they are made up of 12 orientation va riants. The structure is orthorhombic with a short intermolecular dist ance along the chains (9.14 Angstrom), characteristic of covalent bond ing. We propose a structural mechanism for the polymerization of fulle rene-based compounds; it involves a shift of one of the (111) cubic pl anes together with a shortening of the (111) spacing. The configuratio n of the polymer chains presents interesting relations with that found in the A(1)C(60) polymer compounds.