Molecules without framework? The perfect opportunity to review the concept of molecular structure

Abstract

Knowledge of the molecular structure of a compound is a milestone to understand its physical and chemical behavior. It is common to visualize the structure of a molecule as a permanent construction with translational, rotational, and vibrational motion, that is, molecules owe a structure that is analogous to a skeleton with motion. However, there are molecules with a fluxional structure, molecules without a defined structure, where their skeleton changes or breaks forming a different one without a considerable energy expense. The existence of such molecules makes the limitations of the present model evident.