About the iron carbonyl complex with C60 and C70 fullerene: [Fe(CO)4(2C60)] and [Fe(CO)4(2C70)]

The iron carbonyl complexes with C-60 and C-70 fullerenes were synthesized in high yield by photochemical irradiation of solutions of C-60 and C-70 in presence of Fe(CO)(5). The resulting complexes were studied by FT-IR, Raman and electronic absorption spectroscopy. All the data are consistent with the structures [Fe(CO)(4)(C-2(60))] and [Fe(CO)(4)(C-2(70))]. The thermal stability and decomposition reaction of the two complexes were studied by TGA-FTIR and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Both complexes decompose at moderate temperatures releasing CO and Fe(CO)(5) in the vapor phase leaving a residue of metallic iron and free C-60 or C-70 fullerenes that can be recovered by solvent extraction of the decomposition residue.