Molecular geometry from molecular tensegrity: A case study of gas-phase MX2 compounds

摘要

IN current descriptions of molecular structure, geometry of a molecule at rest is determined by the balance between attractive and repulsive forces between charges. Such electrostatic forces may be viewed as the electrostatic equivalent of the balancebetween compressive and tensile elements that define stable engineering tensegrity structures 1 . The fundamental Fuller–Snelson notion is that counteracting forces stabilize a structure consisting of structural tension elements (continuous cables) anddiscontinuous compression elements (struts) to stabilize itself.