Cubane C 8 H 8 (s) is a cubic-shaped hydrocarbon with a carbon atom at each corner of the cube. Cubane is very unstable.

5. Cubane C8 H8 (s) is a cubic-shaped hydrocarbon with a carbon atom at each corner of the

cube. Cubane is very unstable. Some researchers have been seriously injured when the

crystals of the compound exploded while being scoped out of a bottle. Not surprisingly,

cubane has been the subject of some research as an explosive.

a. According to the VSPER theory, what should be the shape around each carbon

atom? What shape is associated with this bond angle?