Rings of carbon with an iconic twist in their structures break the rules for building strongly stable molecules, and now a mathematical proof explains why.
Strongly stable molecules are useful because they hold together long enough to be used in plastics, pipes and polyester clothing. One class of molecules that holds together especially well is called aromatic (though not all of them have odors).
Log in
Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.