ON THE MOLAR EXTINCTION COEFFICIENTS OF THE ELECTRONIC ABSORPTION SPECTRA OF C60 AND C70 FULLERENES RADICAL CATION

Fullerene C 60 and C 70 were discovered in 2010 by means of infrared spectroscopy in a series of astrophysical objects like for example planetary and protoplanetary nebulae and reflection nebulae. These discoveries suggest that C 60 and C 70 must be widespread in the interstellar medium and may contribute as neutral species or as radical cation (C 60 +• and C 70 +• )  to the DIBs, the Diffuse Interstellar Bands which are attributed to the electronic transitions of molecules and radicals. In this paper are reported the electronic absorption spectra of both C 60 and C 70 and of their radical cations C 60 +• and C 70 +• together with the molar extinction coefficients of all the main absorption bands. All these experimental data are key tools for the qualitative and quantitative search and recognition of these molecules and radicals in space using electronic transitions rather than infrared transition. Furthermore, the electronic absorption bands and molar extinction coefficients of hydrogenated and perdeuterated fullerenes (known as fulleranes) and higher fullerenes are reported.