New molecule rearranges itself
The synthetic molecule is made up of 60 simple components that are able to reorganise themselves to produce new functions. Image: BlackJack3D/iStockphoto The discovery of a synthetic molecule, made up of 60 simple components that are able to reorganise themselves to produce new functions, will lead to better understanding of nature's processes.The incredibly complex structure of the pentagonal prismatic molecule was discovered when researchers working at The University of Queensland (UQ), The University of Cambridge, and Randolph-Macon College in the USA, formed the structure by transforming a tetrahedral molecule into a second structure - a barrel-like pentagonal prism.Understanding the structure of synthetic molecules which are able to reorganise themselves is important as it helps scientists to understand natural processes in molecules such as viruses which are assembled from small parts.The finding was published this month in the journal Nature Chemistry and the researchers have produced a movie showing the molecule and its...