in this issue The Fullerenes: A Synthesis of Chemistry and Aesthetics The fullerenes, synthetic allotropes of carbon that have highly symmetrical cagelike structures, provide insight not only into interesting chemistry but also into the artificialitv of the perceived dichotomy between the arts and science.- he first in this class to be prepared was Cm, whose structure is a ball composed of interlocking hexagons and pentagons, much like geodesic dome or a-soccerball. Intrigued by this confluence with the macroscopic world, American chemists have given the original compound the trivial name of "buckminsterfullerene",after R. Buckminster Fuller, the architect who championed the geodesic dome as a basic building design. As more of these structures were synthesized, the term "fullerenes" became the generic name for this new class of carbon allotropes. Collearmes in other narts of the world call the same m o u ~ "so&erenesmor "fobtballenes", again linking them to areaiworld object with a similar structure. These links, which seem to he useful only as memory aids on first inspection, actuallv reflect a deeper connectionthat should be of interest to students, part&darly those who learn best from visual input or those who are interested in the arts. The same structural symmetry that makes the geodesic dome the most rigid building unit using the least materials also makes the buckminsterfullerene form of carbon chemically stable. The basic stability of the interlocking hexaeons and pentagons is related to their geometric structure, not the s;hsta&es composing them.%rther, the structures of the fullerenes, both hypothetical and real, are aesthetically pleasing. The connection between the physical structure of an object and the human perception of its beautv is an imnortant consideration in a discussion in the visual arts. The connection among aesthetics, structure, and function is imnortant in the a .~.d e arts. d such as architecture. A similar considerationbetween chemical function and structure can he seen as part of this continuum and attract the attention of students who would normally see
a
~
~~
~
604
