‘Periodic table’ of hydrocarbons maps ‘magic’ molecules with exceptional stability
Computational chemists calculate the stability of hydrocarbons and design a map with potential predictive power
Calculating the energy of hundreds of hydrocarbons has led to the identification of ‘magic’ molecules with special stability. ‘It’s like the periodic table of hydrocarbons,’ says lead author Artem Oganov from the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow. ‘This new map lets you draw important conclusions at a glance.’