Direct evidence for a carbon–carbon one-electron σ-bond

nature.com

2 points·lormayna··3 comments

Paywalled, but here's the Science Daily story explaining the result.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240925122902.h...

The chemical is described as a derivative of hexaphenyl ethane, where hindrance of the six phenyl groups would stretch ethane's C-C bond. The "extremely close together" in the Science Daily article would seem to be wrong, I'd think.

Correction: it's not hexaphenyl ethane; "derivative" was doing some heavy lifting there.

Thanks, that article refers to the press release from the university itself where the exact hydrocarbon molecule is presented:

https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/blog/scientists-discover-a-...

This is very admirable work but I would say it's a bit of a "stretch" myself since there is little difference whether there is any bond between the two designated carbons or not. The molecule retains its structure whether or not there is a bond at that point. In parallel to this single-electron bond is a strong 3-carbon chain with pi electrons all over the place, actually holding the structure together.

A very interesting material as a cationic hydrocarbon iodide "salt".

I think the positive charge is delocalized over those two carbon atoms. If there is some enhanced electron density between them, that would be a bond.

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