Experimental and theoretical determination of the magnetic susceptibility of C60 and C70

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 350; no. 6313; pp. 46 - 47
• Main Authors: HADDON, R. C, SCHNEEMEYER, L. F, ZAHURAK, S. M, MAKHIJA, A. V, THIEL, F. A, RAGHAVACHARI, K, COCKAYNE, E, ELSER, V, WASZCZAK, J. V, GLARUM, S. H, TYCKO, R, DABBAGH, G, KORTAN, A. R, MULLER, A. J, MUJSCE, A. M, ROSSEINSKY, M. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing 01.03.1991
• Subjects: Atomic and molecular clusters; Atomic and molecular physics; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Studies of special atoms, molecules and their ions; clusters; Aromaticity; Carbon Molecules; Theoretical study; Atomic cluster; Experimental study; Organic compounds; Magnetic properties; Magnetic susceptibility
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/350046a0

Measurements of the magnetic properties of the C60 molecule are presented. It is found that the diamagnetism of C60 is small, a result which is attributed to excited-state paramagnetic contributions to the pi-electron ring-current magnetic susceptibility. Thus C60 seems to be an aromatic molecule with a vanishingly small pi-electron ring-current magnetic susceptibility. Similar measurements performed on C70 indicate an appreciable pi-electron diamagnetism consistent with theoretical calculations. The differences in magnetic properties of these two molecules are attributed to their different fractions of five-membered ring structures. The fullurenes may thus constitute a class of compounds of 'ambiguous' aromatic character, traditional measures of which will not provide an adequate classification. (C.D.)