High pressure synthesis of alkali metal doped C-60 polymers

Alkali metal doped fullerenes, AC(60) (A = Li, Na) were polymerized under a pressure of 5 GPa at 573 K. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the products were very similar to that of the rhombohedral two-dimensional C-60, polyme r, the basal spacings being slightly increased by the intercalation of the alkali atoms between the two-dimensional polymer layers. The alkali metal d oped C-60 polymers were insoluble in toluene and found to be semiconductors over a temperature range of 200 - 300 K.