Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: CraigAustralia on 12/08/2020 08:22:56

Title: What Chemical Could This Be?
Post by: CraigAustralia on 12/08/2020 08:22:56
What Chemical could this be?

This comes from an old monochrome image and it looks like a chemical. I have drawn it as best I can to represent the old image. I am 50+ and have not done chemistry since school so a bit out of my depth. It may not be a chemical so any suggestions would be helpful.
Title: Re: What Chemical Could This Be?
Post by: evan_au on 12/08/2020 11:32:23
If the black circles were all the same atom, some sites would have 3 bonds, while others would have 1 bond - not usually stable.
- In organic chemistry, sometimes Hydrogen atoms are just "assumed" - but carbon mostly bonds with 4 other atoms, and the bonds are mostly oriented in 3 dimensions, rather than 2 dimensions as implied here..

Could it be a design for a Mars habitat?

Or an airport terminal?

Title: Re: What Chemical Could This Be?
Post by: chiralSPO on 12/08/2020 13:42:38
If we allow for the balls shown to be different elements, and assume that hydrogen atoms are implied, there are very many options for what this could be (as evan_au points out, it is unlikely to represent a stable compound otherwise).

My mind goes immediately to triisopropylphosphine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triisopropylphosphine

It looks like there are red marks around the structure, but I can't tell with this resolution what they say. Could be a schematic of an object or building. Hard to say
Title: Re: What Chemical Could This Be?
Post by: Bored chemist on 12/08/2020 14:41:40
The red bits indicate the angles and I don't think they would work for any chemical.
Title: Re: What Chemical Could This Be?
Post by: AngieStone on 26/12/2020 22:21:56
Well, it is not too complicated for a professional to find such information. I think, everything here is very important to work with. But when I found such great one, I was happy to use it in my every day life.