Carbon-based aromatic rings such as benzene are not usually thought of as easy to break apart. Instead, they tend to react in pathways that leave the ring — and its circular system of electrons ...

“What this work is showing is that, at least for some of the major reactions, that assumption appears to be wrong.” There are other possible pathways to interstellar benzene ...

During follow-up research, to their amazement, the team made a related complex that inserts itself into a benzene C–C bond instead, thus activating it. The reaction is reversible and takes place ...