Scientists just discovered that molecules made up of carbon can be much more flexible than we thought.
Carbon atoms normally have four bonds connecting them to other elements, and depending on the molecule structure these could take two different forms. This is important because medicine uses these mirror-image structures for different treatments.
However, usually it’s impossible to switch between them because it needs a lot of energy to break the bond between them.
Researchers from Durham University and the University of York discovered that when the spin center was part of a changeable cage-like structure, it could alter its shape for the mirror image form of the molecule to switch.
SciCommStudios created a picture that displays how an element with three carbon atoms (sp3-C) turns itself inside out. This process is called dynamic inversion and involves metal elements too.
Scientists have discovered something new about carbon-based substances: Their shape isn’t fixed like it used to be, but instead can now change and move. This discovery is a major breakthrough in the field of chirality. The details of this important discovery will be published on March 13th, 2023 in Nature Chemistry magazine.
The molecular cage has nine carbons atoms and they are connected to each other with two doubles bonds and a cyclic ring with three parts. These kinds of bonds let some of the atoms move around in different positions.
Dr. Aisha Bismillah, the leader of this project at Durham University, said: “Our carbon cages are really impressive – they change their shapes extremely fast and go back and forth between their two forms millions of times each second. It’s amazing how they can adjust to different changes in their surroundings!”
The scientists found out that a special kind of change between different shapes can be done, and this effect could be sent to places where metal is nearby. This means that this type of changing shape may be used in making catalysts or molecules used for medical treatments.
Dr. Paul McGonigal of the University of York says that this new discovery gives us a better understanding of how molecules and ions work together. He explains that like a carbon cage, molecules can adjust themselves when needed to form the most perfect fit with another molecule or ion.
We hope in the future that researchers will be able to use this concept to create different kinds of materials for many applications!
This study, “Control of dynamic sp3-C stereochemistry” by Aisha N. Bismillah, Toby G. Johnson, Burhan A. Hussein, Andrew T. Turley, Promeet K. Saha, Ho Chi Wong, Juan A. Anguilar, Dmitry S. Yufit and Paul R. McGonigal was published on 13th March 2023 in Nature Chemistry Journal can be read at DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01156-7 . It was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Leverhulme Trust.
