ON THE PRODUCTION OF HIGHER FULLERENES WITH DOPED ELECTRODES

We have studied in which way the doping of graphite electrodes in the are discharge production of fullerenes affects the yields of higher fu llerenes. In some cases very high yields were observed, but the reprod ucibility was poor. The higher fullerenes C-76, C-2v-C-78 and D-3-C-78 were enriched by a one-step high-pressure liquid chromatography. Afte r the enrichment we studied the stability of these fullerenes in the p resence of oxygen. The isomer C-2v-C-78 disappeared after some days in solution or when treated with oxygen.