Solid-state structural studies on amorphous platinum–fullerene[60] compounds [PtnC60] (n=1,2)

Homoleptic amorphous platinum–fullerene compounds were synthesized from low-valent platinum precursors. Both variation of precursor and temperature of synthesis lead to different phases. Simultaneous observation of symmetric and antisymmetric fullerene vibrational modes in the platinum–fullerene IR and resonant Raman spectra support evidence for dimer and oligomer formations. Doublet splitting of fullerene (Ih point group symmetry) F1u modes and observation of previously IR silent modes also indicate substantial local disorder at the fullerene moiety. X-band CW-EPR measurements, using the microwave power saturation technique, allows observation of at least two different relaxation behaviours, that are attributed to activation of efficient relaxation pathways in the compounds synthesized at 25°C. These processes are absent in fullerene[60] and much less effective in the platinum compound obtained at −45°C.