3 ms·

Wacky structure! Not just a cage, but also has 2 B-H-B bonds (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-center_two-electron_bond https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-c

• keepamovin 3y ago
  Yeah, amazing that something so relatively unstable can actually exist long enough to be dangerous. I suppose the exothermic output is not helped by how stable H2 is.
• amelius 3y ago
  Do other molecules fit inside the cage?
  • gilleain 3y ago
    no, far too small i would think. not sure what the smallest cage is that can act as a host-guest complex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Host%E2%80%93guest_chemistry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Host%E2%80%93guest_chemistry A fun one is Prof Rebek et al's 'tennis ball' - bisglycoluril that forms two halves that cup around a guest: https://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20011203/rebek1.html https://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20011203/rebek1.html
• ribs 3y ago
  Hey, you’re not giving pentaborane enough credit - it’s got 4 of those bridging hydrides.