C₁₈₀O₂, a V-shaped fullerene trimer

C₁₈₀O₂ is synthesized simply by heating a mixture of C₆₀ and C₆₀O_1-3. Electrospray ionization generates doubly charged anions that are assigned as C₁₂₀O_1-6 and C₁₈₀O_2-6. From C₆₀O₂₊₂C₆₀→C₁₈₀O₂, we propose a V-shaped structure for C₁₈₀O₂ which retains the bonding sites of the two oxygen atoms in C₆₀O₂. Under similar reaction conditions, adducts containing C₇₀ and C₇₀O building blocks are not observed. Laser desorption ionization mass spectra of C₇₀O indicate that the C-O bond in C₇₀O is weak, providing a plausible account for the difficulty in the formation of C₁₃₀O and C₁₄₀O.