Formations of Dumbbell C118 and C119 inside Clusters of C60 Molecules by Collision with α Particles

We report highly selective covalent bond modifications in collisions between keV alpha particles and van der Waals clusters of C60 fullerenes. Surprisingly, C119 + and C118 + are the dominant molecular fusion products. We use molecular dynamics simulations to show that C59 + and C58 + ions—effectively produced in prompt knockout processes with He2+ —react rapidly with C60 to form dumbbell C119 + and C118 + . Ion impact on molecular clusters in general is expected to lead to efficient secondary reactions of interest for astrophysics. These reactions are different from those induced by photonsThis work was supported by the Swedish Research Council (Contracts No. 621-2008-3773, No. 621-2009- 3468, and No. 621-2011-4047). The work is partially supported by the Projects No. FIS2010-15127, No. CTQ2010-17006 CSD2007-00010 (MICINN), No. S2009/MAT1726 (CAM), and the CNRS PICS-05356. Studies of interstellar chemistry at Leiden Observatory are supported through advanced-ERC Grant No. 246976 from the European Research Council, through a grant by the Dutch Science Agency, NWO, as part of the Dutch Astrochemistry Network, and through the Spinoza premie from the Dutch Science Agency, NW