Optical absorption spectra of chemically generated C-60 and C-70 anions

For the first time the spectra of the fullerene anions C-60(n-) and C-70(n- ) for n = 1, 2, and 3, in benzonitrile, in the presence of three reducing a gents: Na, K and TDAE, were studied. The fullerene anions reveal characteri stic, near IR absorption bands, similar to those observed in electrogenerat ed anions. In the normalised C-60. TDAE monoanion spectrum an increase of t he intensities of 1042 nm, 1001 nm and 940 nm bands is observed when compar ed with C60Na or C60K. This increase can be due to differences in the C-60( -) anion symmetry in these salts. Reduction of C-60 in oxygen-containing so lvent showed an oxidation of C-60 anion-radical with an appearance of a new absorption band in 900-1000 nm region.