The role of the oxygen molecule in the photolysis of fullerenes

Experiments designed to clarify the role of molecular oxygen in the photoly sis of fullerene are described. The formation of oxygen-fullerene adducts, both in fullerene solutions in various solvents and in micro-crystallites f ormed by evaporating these solutions, and their photolysis was studied unde r various experimental conditions. The results confirm that the role of oxy gen in the photolysis process in these systems is ambivalent and highly dep endent on the conditions under which the irradiation of the fullerenes occu rs (wavelength and intensity of the photolyzing radiation, character of the solvent molecules, presence of additional molecules in the solvent-fullere ne-oxygen system, etc.).