Molecular Beauty
Roald Hoffmann · Interdisciplinary Science Reviews · 1991
What makes molecules beautiful? It may be their simplicity, a symmetrical structure. Or it may be their complexity, the richness of structural detail that is required for specific function. Sometimes the beauty of a molecule may be hidden, to be revealed only when its position in a sequence of transformations is made clear. Novelty, surprise, utility also playa role in molecular aesthetics, which is the subject of this contribution.