TRANSITION-METAL COATED FULLERENES

Compound clusters of fullerene molecules and transition metal atoms ha ving the composition C60Mx and C70Mx With x = 0..150 and M epsilon {Ti , Zr, V, Y, Ta, Nb} were produced using laser vaporisation in a low-pr essure inert gas aggregation cell. Intensity anomalies in the mass spe ctra correlate with the atomic radii of the different metals indicatin g the formation of complete metal layers around the central fullerene molecule. Using high laser intensities the metal-fullerene clusters ca n be transformed into met-cars and metal-carbides. Photofragmentation spectra of preselected C60Tax indicate that the fullerene cage is dest royed for x greater than or equal to 3.