Structure of chemical bonding in polymerized fullerene C/sub 60/

Thermal treatment of fullerene C/sub 60/ under high vacuum leads to the formation of an X-ray amorphous polymer of fullerene. This compound has a semiconductor-type conductivity. The electronic structure of the polymerized fullerene is studied by X-ray emission spectroscopy and quantum-chemical methods. The upper occupied molecular orbital of the trimer (C/sub 60/)3 is shown to be localized on its central C/sub 60/ fragment which explains some of the electrophysical properties of the polymeric chains (C/sub 60/)n.