Marvellous molecular shapes

A survey of a variety of interesting molecular shapes characterized mostly in the last two decades is presented. The selection of molecules shown is made based on their attractive three-dimensional structures (so often concealed by their usual two-dimensional structural formulae), the unusual coordination geometries of metal atoms, the subjective appreciation of how beautiful, funny or interesting a molecular shape is, or the sticky nature of arene rings at terphenyl groups and their effects on the molecular shapes of metal complexes. (C) 2019 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.