‘Molecular movie’ shows how electrons rearrange to kick-off a chemical reaction – Physics World

‘Molecular movie’ shows how electrons rearrange to kick-off a chemical reaction – Physics World

Molecular movie captures electron motion

Physicists have made a molecular-scale movie that shows how electrons rearrange their positions in a light-driven chemical reaction long before the atoms themselves have begun to move. To initiate the reaction, the team shot light pulses at a molecule of 1,3-cyclohexadiene. These were followed by powerful ultra-short pulses of X-rays, which blew the molecule apart. By looking at the subatomic shrapnel, the scientists could reconstruct its shape at the time it exploded.

Physics World | 6 min readSource: Nature Communications paper