Gas-phase Formation of Cationic Fullerene/Amino Acid Clusters: Evidence for the “Magic Number” Chemical Reactivity of Fullerene Cations

An experimental and theoretical investigation on the chemical reactivity of fullerene cations (Cn+, n = [36, 60]) with amino acid molecules (e.g., isoleucine, C6H13NO2) is performed. The results show that, in gas phase, can react to form fullerene/amino cluster high efficiency. formation rate constants for ion–molecule collision reactions between isoleucine are estimated under pseudo-first-order reaction condition. We find increase gradually a declining C-atom number [46, 60]), depict plateau smaller 44]). More importantly, by comparing its neighbor fullerenes, magic counts (54, 58) that process enhanced determined. also obtained molecular structures binding energies fullerene-monoisoleucine adducts quantum calculations, which give good explanation cations. infer our demonstrate importance large complex fullerene-amino derivatives ISM. species may indicate or other related prebiotic compounds accrete small interstellar carbon dust grains.