The world of chemistry has witnessed another step forward: researchers at the University of Wurzburg in Germany have succeeded in twisting molecules so much that their double bonds have been completely destroyed. The result- unusually stable biradicals.
Boron has a range of uses throughout everyday life, from laundry bleaches to heat-proof glass and ceramics. Chemists at Julius- Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany, have a particular interest in the chemistry of this element. These researchers have now succeeded in twisting molecules with multiple bonds between boron atoms, leading to unusually stable biradicals.
Biradicals are usually highly reactive molecules. They are generated in energetic processes such as combustion and are normally so short-lived that they are unable to be isolated or studied by traditional methods of chemical analysis.
The new biradicals prepared at the JMU are dramatically different, however they are solid compounds and were found to be stable for weeks. “We now have model compounds in hand that we can study without having to rush,” explained prof. Holger Braunschweig from the Institute for Inorganic Chemistry. The results have been presented in the journal Nature Communications.
Twisting of boron-boron double bonds
For a long time, chemists have attempted to twist, distort and rupture double bonds between atoms – with only limited success. The JMU team has now made the dream of twisting a double bond by a full 90 degrees a reality.
The Wurzburg researchers had originally expected to obtain diborenes from their reactions, the products should have had double bonds between their boron atoms, as would normally be the case. Instead, they obtained molecules where the double bond between the atoms was twisted by 90 degrees and thereby completely broken.
Read more: Generation of a stable biradical
The world of chemistry has witnessed another step forward: researchers at the University of Wurzburg in Germany have succeeded in twisting molecules so much that their double bonds have been completely destroyed. The result- unusually stable biradicals.
Boron has a range of uses throughout everyday life, from laundry bleaches to heat-proof glass and ceramics. Chemists at Julius- Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany, have a particular interest in the chemistry of this element. These researchers have now succeeded in twisting molecules with multiple bonds between boron atoms, leading to unusually stable biradicals.
Biradicals are usually highly reactive molecules. They are generated in energetic processes such as combustion and are normally so short-lived that they are unable to be isolated or studied by traditional methods of chemical analysis.
The new biradicals prepared at the JMU are dramatically different, however they are solid compounds and were found to be stable for weeks. “We now have model compounds in hand that we can study without having to rush,” explained prof. Holger Braunschweig from the Institute for Inorganic Chemistry. The results have been presented in the journal Nature Communications.
Twisting of boron-boron double bonds
For a long time, chemists have attempted to twist, distort and rupture double bonds between atoms – with only limited success. The JMU team has now made the dream of twisting a double bond by a full 90 degrees a reality.
The Wurzburg researchers had originally expected to obtain diborenes from their reactions, the products should have had double bonds between their boron atoms, as would normally be the case. Instead, they obtained molecules where the double bond between the atoms was twisted by 90 degrees and thereby completely broken.
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