The First Crystal Structure of a Halogenated Higher Fullerene, C 78 Br 18 , Obtained by Bromination of a Fullerene Mixture

Simple bromination of a fullerene mixture allowed the separation of C 78 from other fullerenes in form of crystalline C 78 Br 18 . The first X‐ray single‐crystal structure of a halogenated higher fullerene, C 78 Br 18 , revealed that the addition pattern of 18 bromine atoms on the C 78 cage corresponds to a partial retention of the conjugated double bond systems and the formation of isolated C−C double bonds. Evidently, even a separation of the C 2 v and D 3 isomers of C 78 occurred in the course of bromination and precipitation. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003)