A new and efficient extraction method of endohedral metallofullerenes,
especially of rare-earth elements encapsulated metallofullerenes, has
been reported in this paper. Soxhlet-extraction of raw soot with tolu
ene was used in the first step to wash away most accompanying C-60, C-
70. Then pyridine was chosen as solvent to obtain high-temperature and
high pressure extract. Two kinds of extract were analysed by DEI-MS a
nd LDI-MS, the results indicate that this two-step method can provide
the extract which has the highest fraction of endohedral metallofuller
enes. So it will greatly simplify the following separation and purific
ation processes of metallofullerenes.