In a groundbreaking study that challenges traditional views on molecular structure, researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt have unveiled a startling revelation about the quantum behavior of formic acid molecules. Classical chemistry has long depicted molecules as rigid entities, with atoms arranged in fixed positions connected by unyielding bonds, often represented in two-dimensional diagrams. Formic acid (methanoic acid, HCOOH), for instance, has been conventionally illustrated as a flat molecule confined to a single plane. However, this new research exposes the dynamic, trembling nature of atomic nuclei, propelled by quantum mechanical zero-point vibrations, thereby revealing that even such a “flat” molecule fluctuates in three-dimensional space.
Led by Professor Reinhard Dörner at the Institute for Nuclear Physics at Goethe University, the team set out to precisely determine the spatial geometry of formic acid using advanced X-ray methodologies facilitated by the PETRA III synchrotron radiation source at DESY’s accelerator center in Hamburg. The collaboration spanned multiple prominent institutions including the universities of Kassel, Marburg, and Nevada, alongside the Fritz Haber Institute and the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics. Their aim was to measure and map the instantaneous positions and movements of atoms within the molecule at timescales so minute they defy everyday comprehension.
This feat was achieved by exploiting two pivotal phenomena occurring when X-ray photons interact with molecules: the photoelectric effect and the subsequent Auger effect. Upon exposure to the intense X-ray beam, multiple electrons are ejected, leaving the molecule in a highly ionized state. This sudden charge imbalance triggers a Coulomb explosion, violently fragmenting the molecule within femtoseconds—millionths of a billionth of a second. Such ultrafast fragmentation events capture the fleeting atomic arrangements before they change, effectively freezing motion in time for the researchers to decipher.
Critical to these measurements was the COLTRIMS reaction microscope—an innovative apparatus initially developed at Goethe University. COLTRIMS (Cold Target Recoil Ion Momentum Spectroscopy) enables the simultaneous detection of charged fragments from molecular disintegration, allowing the reconstruction of the molecule’s original configuration by calculating velocities and trajectories of these fragments. By iteratively refining this technique over several years, the team gleaned data that uncovered subtle oscillations of hydrogen atoms within the formic acid molecule, disproving the longstanding notion of a perfectly planar structure.
Professor Dörner elucidates the quantum mechanical underpinnings of these observations: “Atomic nuclei are far from static spheres; they behave more like dynamic clouds that perpetually vibrate. Even at absolute zero, where thermal motion ceases, zero-point motion persists eternally due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.” This foundational principle dictates that the exact position of a nucleus cannot be pinned down precisely—instead, there is an intrinsic probability distribution describing where it may be found.
The implications are profound. The continuous trembling causes formic acid to exist in a constantly shifting three-dimensional shape rather than a rigid two-dimensional entity. This dynamic shift breaks molecular symmetry, rendering the molecule effectively chiral—a phenomenon where two configurations are non-superimposable mirror images of each other, akin to human hands. Half the time, the molecule assumes a “left-handed” form, and half the time a “right-handed” one, despite the molecule’s classical structure being symmetrical.
Chirality is a cornerstone in chemistry and biology, with enantiomers (chiral pairs) often exhibiting vastly different biochemical behaviors. In pharmaceuticals, one enantiomer of a drug might be therapeutic while its counterpart could be inert or even harmful. Traditionally, such handedness arises from a molecule’s fixed 3D configuration. Yet, this study challenges that paradigm by demonstrating that quantum fluctuations alone can spontaneously generate chirality from a perfectly symmetrical molecule.
This discovery spotlights the role of quantum mechanics not just as a theoretical framework, but as a dynamic actor materially influencing the properties and behavior of molecules. The research extends beyond formic acid, hinting that molecular geometry is inherently a non-static property emerging from the restless quantum motion of atomic nuclei. Conventional static models may thus only reflect average molecular structures, masking the rich quantum dynamics at play.
Furthermore, this research exemplifies cutting-edge experimental physics synergizing with chemical theory to decipher deeply hidden phenomena at the molecular scale. The ability to probe such ultrafast processes and reconstruct them with high spatial accuracy requires synergistic expertise across disciplines including synchrotron physics, quantum chemistry, and molecular spectroscopy.
As Professor Dörner emphasizes, “Our findings revolutionize the concept of molecular shape by revealing that geometry is better described as a dynamic event rather than a static blueprint. In practical terms, this means that even molecules we considered fully understood may possess nuanced quantum behaviors that influence their chemistry and interactions in unanticipated ways.”
The impact of this insight resonates throughout molecular sciences, from fundamental quantum mechanics to applied drug design, catalysis, and materials science. Recognizing the quantum origin of chirality could lead to novel approaches for synthesizing enantiomerically pure substances or controlling molecular properties via quantum vibrational states.
Formic acid’s newly discovered instantaneous chirality thus acts as a window into the quantum complexity underlying molecular behavior, transforming how researchers conceptualize matter at its most essential level. As technological capabilities advance, further investigations may unveil additional surprising quantum effects within molecules, reshaping the landscape of chemistry and physics.
The study was published in the prestigious journal Physical Review Letters on January 30, 2026, marking a significant milestone in our understanding of molecular quantum dynamics and chirality.
Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: Probing Instantaneous Single-Molecule Chirality in the Planar Ground State of Formic Acid.
News Publication Date: 30-Jan-2026
Web References: 10.1103/bvqj-pm3n
Image Credits: Institute for Nuclear Physics, Goethe University Frankfurt
Keywords
Enantiomers, Molecules, Molecular chemistry, Physics, Experimental physics, Molecular physics, Molecular behavior, Chemical properties, Chemical compatibility, Quantum chemistry, Quantum mechanics, Quantum measurement, Nonlocality, Quantum correlation, Quantum decoherence, Quantum fluctuations, Quantum oscillations
