Fine structure in the solution state 13C-NMR spectrum of C60 and its endofullerene derivatives

Abstract

The 13C NMR spectrum of fullerene C60 in solution displays two small “side peaks" on the shielding side of the main 13C peak, with integrated intensities of 1.63% and 0.81% of the main peak. The two side peaks are shifted by -12.6 ppb and -20.0 ppb with respect to the main peak. The side peaks are also observed in the 13C NMR spectra of endofullerenes, but with slightly different shifts relative to the main peak. We ascribe the small additional peaks to minor isotopomers of C60 containing two adjacent 13C nuclei. The shifts of the additional peaks are due to a secondary isotope shift of the 13C resonance caused by the substitution of a 12C neighbour by 13C. Two peaks are observed since the C60 structure contains two different classes of carbon-carbon bonds with different vibrational characteristics. The 2:1 ratio of the side peak intensities is consistent with the known structure of C60. The origin and intensities of the 13C side peaks are discussed, together with an analysis of the 13C solution NMR spectrum of a 13C-enriched sample of C60, which displays a relatively broad 13C NMR peak due to a statistical distribution of 13C isotopes. The spectrum of 13C-enriched C60 is analyzed by a Monte Carlo simulation technique, using a theorem for the second moment of the NMR spectrum generated by J-coupled spin clusters.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Maria Concistre: orcid.org/0000-0001-7111-0782

ORCID for Richard J. Whitby: orcid.org/0000-0002-9891-5502

ORCID for Malcolm H. Levitt: orcid.org/0000-0001-9878-1180

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