Synthesis, separation, and characterization of fullerenes and their chlorinated fragments in the glow discharge reaction of chloroform

Fullerenes and various chlorinated carbon clusters were synthesized via the glow discharge reaction using chloroform vapor as starting reactant. High- performance liquid chromatography combined with ultraviolet spectrometry an d mass spectrometry (HPLC--UV--MS) was developed for separation and charact erization of the reaction products, comprising C-60 and C-70 fullerenes, am orphous carbon, and more than 50 chlorinated carbon clusters, which molecul ar formulas were determined from their special isotopic patterns. The forma tion of fullerenes and amorphous carbon in the glow discharge reaction of c hloroform was found to involve different systems of chlorinated carbon clus ter intermediates. The correlation provides insight into the formation of f ullerenes and the other carbon clusters.