Gas-phase spectroscopy of H 2 O@C 60 + and H 2 O@C 60 H + in the mid-infrared: the challenges of searching for endohedral fullerenes in space

Key Points

• This research aims to investigate the vibrational spectra of endohedral fullerenes containing water molecules, assessing their detectability in space.
• Analysis of gas-phase vibrational spectra
• Comparison with results from empty fullerenes
• Examination of mid-infrared properties
• Spectra of H2O@C60+ and H2O@C60H+ are similar to empty fullerene spectra
• Detection of these compounds in space via IR emission is complicated
• Challenges in distinguishing features due to spectral similarities