𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 : 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧-𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 ‘𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐡’ 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞

𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧-𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 ‘𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐡’ 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞

A breakthrough by researchers from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has solved a chemistry puzzle that had remained unanswered for more than 70 years.

As reported in The Indian Express, the team led by Prof. Sundargopal Ghosh and Stutee Mohapatra from the Department of Chemistry, IIT Madras, in collaboration with Prof. Eluvathingal Jemmis from IISc Bengaluru, has successfully synthesised a new carbon-free molecule that mirrors the iconic ‘sandwich’ structure of ferrocene — a landmark compound discovered in the 1950s and widely used in medicines, batteries, electronics and advanced materials.

While ferrocene consists of an iron atom placed between two carbon-based rings, researchers developed an entirely carbon-free version using osmium at the centre and boron-based rings surrounding it. Scientists across the world had attempted similar structures for decades, but creating a stable carbon-free equivalent had remained elusive.

Published in the prestigious journal Science (https://lnkd.in/gkH4zghc), the discovery opens exciting possibilities for designing novel materials with unique structural and chemical properties. Early investigations suggest the new molecule is highly stable, with strong bonding that could potentially make it even more robust than ferrocene.

Read here: https://lnkd.in/gzgHDyKx

source : IIT MADRAS