investigated ConOH- (n = 1-3) clusters with photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The vertical detachment energies of ConOH- (n = 1-3) were measured to be 1.41 +/- 0.04, 1.22 +/- 0.08, 1.62 +/- 0.08 eV, respectively. The electron affinity and term energy of CoOH neutral were determined to be 1.33 +/- 0.04 and 0.25 +/- 0.04 eV, respectively. The most probable geometries of CoOH- and Co2OH- were determined to be L-shaped structures, and that of Co3OH- can be considered as one of the Co atoms of Co-3 triangle bonded to the oxygen atom of OH group. The excess electron of the ConOH- anion is mainly localized on the Con site. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.