Researchers have the chemistry to make a star »

Chemists have created a star-shaped molecule previously thought to be too unstable to be made. The team created the five-pronged molecule radialene, in work that could lead to more efficient ways to make medicinal agents, said lead researcher, Professor Michael Sherburn from Research School of Chemistry. "This proof that we can make a compound that so many people thought couldn't be made opens up a world of new possibilities," said Professor Sherburn, a synthetic chemist. The chemical industry worldwide is worth nearly $1 trillion, making everything from cosmetics to cancer drugs. The vast majority of these substances contain rings like radialenes. "Hyper-reactive molecules like radialenes form more stable substances very quickly. Their reactions are some of the most powerful chemical transformations known," Professor Sherburn said.