Vibrational spectra of C60C8H8 and C70C8H8 in the rotor-stator and polymer phases

TL;DR

This study investigates the vibrational spectra of C60C8H8 and C70C8H8 in their rotor-stator and polymer phases, revealing their vibrational properties, polymerization behavior, and proposing a fullerene connection pattern.

Contribution

It provides detailed vibrational spectra and proposes a structural connection pattern for the polymerized fullerene phases, linking spectral features to molecular symmetry.

Findings

Vibrational spectra reflect rotor-stator nature.

Polymer phases result from solid-state reactions upon heating.

Photochemical reactions occur under light illumination, similar to thermal polymerization.

Abstract

C60-C8H8 and C70-C8H8 are prototypes of rotor-stator cocrystals. We present infrared and Raman spectra of these materials and show how the rotor-stator nature is reflected in their vibrational properties. We measured the vibrational spectra of the polymer phases poly(C60C8H8) and poly(C70C8H8) resulting from a solid state reaction occurring on heating. Based on the spectra we propose a connection pattern for the fullerene in poly(C60C8H8), where the symmetry of the C60 is D2h. On illuminating the C60-C8H8 cocrystal with green or blue light a photochemical reaction was observed leading to a similar product to that of the thermal polymerization.