First double aromatic molecule made

hexakis(phenylselenyl)benzene dication

Source: © S Furukawa et al, 2018

Hexaselenyl benzene cation is the first stable molecule with an aromatic ring inside another aromatic ring

A standard π-aromatic benzene ring inside another aromatic ring made out of overlapping selenium σ orbitals – this strange beast is the first double aromatic molecule. Previous research hypothesised double aromaticity more than 20 years ago, but a stable compound had so far never been made.