Carbon anions C-n(-) (n = 4-13, 15-25 odd values only), generated by laser
ablation of graphite or petroleum coke and isolated by Fourier transform io
n cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, have been reacted with the sulfur-
containing molecules H2S, C6H5SH and S-8. The C-n(-) are unusually reactive
with these molecules and generate anions of the types CnS-, CnS2-, HCnS-,
CnH3S-, CnC6H5SH2-, and C4S3-. The structures of CnS-, CnS2- and HCnS- (n =
4-9) have been investigated by density functional calculations; the lowest
energy isomers have linear structures with the hetero atom(s) at the end(s
) of the chain. C4S3-.0 are linear SC4S-S species with a single S-S bond. T
he thioformyl molecule HCS, recently proposed to be involved in the collisi
on of the comet Shoemaker-Levy with Jupiter, is believed to be a product in
the reaction of C-9(-) with H2S.