Near‐IR Absorption Spectra for the Buckminsterfullerene Anions: an Experimental and Theoretical Study

can exist in a number of oxidation states including , , , and . We describe in this paper near‐IR absorption peaks which are unique to these four oxidation states. These peaks are observed upon one, two, three, and four electron electrochemical reductions of . We have rationalized the energies and intensities of these electronic absorptions based on modifications of the known molecular orbital diagram of . The near‐IR absorptions reported here should provide a clear and unambiguous route for determining the oxidation state of in solution.