Oxidation of C60 and C70 fullerenes by ozone

The high-performance liquid chromatography method has been used for the analysis of the ozonolysis products of C-60 and C-70 fullerenes. At ambient temperature, monoxide with a certain amount of di-, tri- and tetra-oxy derivatives is the main oxidized product at the initial stage of ozonolysis. The retention time of Cao monoxide produced by ozonolysis coincides with the retention time of C60O which is present in the extract of fullerene soot. Probably owing to the smaller solubility of oxide derivatives of fullerenes in toluene, precipitation occurs. The kinetic regularities of the ozonolysis reaction of C-60 and C-70 fullerenes are similar under experimental conditions.