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Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Synthesis and Microdiffraction at Extreme Pressures and Temperatures
Published on: October 7, 2013
Surprising Stability of Cubane under Extreme Pressure
Haw-Tyng Huang, Li Zhu1, Matthew D Ward1
1Geophysical Laboratory , Carnegie Institution of Washington , 5251 Broad Branch Road Northwest , Washington , DC 20015 , United States.
Abstract:
The chemical stability of solid cubane under high-pressure was examined with in situ Raman spectroscopy and synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) up to 60 GPa. The Raman modes associated with solid cubane were assigned by comparing experimental data with calculations based on density functional perturbation theory, and low-frequency lattice modes are reported for the first time. The equation of state of solid cubane derived from the PXRD measurements taken during compression gives a bulk modulus of 14.5(2) GPa. In contrast with previous work and chemical intuition, PXRD and Raman data indicate that solid cubane exhibits anomalously large stability under extreme pressure, despite its immensely strained 90° C-C-C bond angles.
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