Electron transfer at lanthanum endohedral fullerenes

The aim of this contribution is to study lanthanum containing fullerenes produced and treated under different conditions. The work was done using solid soot extract giving poorly resolved ESR spectra or separated lanthanofullerenes in solution showing well resolved ESR spectra. ESR experiments in connection with the mass spectrometry give information on the electronic states due to the electron transfer from the endohedral metal to the fullerene cage and the influence of oxygen on endohedral lanthanofullerene. The analysis of ESR spectra indicates the presence of up to nine octets of lanthanum containing fullerenes. These species have different stabilities. Furthermore, a very narrow single ESR line in the lanthanofullerene spectrum was detected having a linewidth ΔB=0.008 mT and ag-factor 2.0025. The electron transfer to the endohedral La@C₈₂ molecule studied by voltammetry and electrochemicalin situ ESR experiments is described. The interaction of the lanthanofullerene with oxygen in solution is also studied. In different solvents the influence of oxygen on line broadening in the ESR spectra of La@C₈₂ was observed.