Warped nanographene at odds with aromaticity
Scientists discover a π-electron circuit with an odd number of electrons in a polycyclic system
A computational study investigating aromaticity in nanographene (C80H30) has determined the most efficient circuits for π electron delocalisation. The favoured routes contain 50 and 75 π electrons, with the first following Hückel’s rule and the latter not obeying any of the known requirements for aromaticity.