Charge-transfer in fullerene complexes

Spectral investigations of fullerene charge-transfer complexes with planar and spatial electron-donor molecules are reported. The results of this study indicate that the CT complexes of C60 with planar donors are involved in polarization interactions of van der Waals type. CT is very weak in these compounds and is hindered by unfavourable steric factors. As a result, the CT rate does not correlate with the ionization potential of the donor. Contrary to the planar donors, the spatial ones form complexes with CT rate approaching 1. (author)