MIT chemists have discovered and isolated a new boron-oxygen molecule called dioxaborirane, a type of peroxide containing boron. The molecule forms a highly strained three-member ring (one boron, two oxygen atoms) and can be synthesized at room temperature — unusual for such reactive structures. Depending on its electrical charge, it behaves either as an oxygen donor for building new compounds or as a CO2 trap, suggesting potential applications in oxidation chemistry, synthesis, and greenhouse gas capture.
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