Adamantane

Patent Pending Adamantane is a colorless, crystalline chemical compound with a camphor-like odor. With a formula C10H16, it is a cycloalkane and also the simplest diamondoid. Adamantane molecules consist of four connected cyclohexane rings arranged in the "armchair" configuration. It is unique in that it is both rigid and virtually stress-free. A boat shaped configuration can also exist. Adamantane is the most stable among all the isomers with formula C10H16, which include the somewhat similar twistane. The spatial arrangement of carbon atoms is the same in adamantane molecule and in the diamond crystal. This motivates the name adamantane, which is derived from the Greek adamantinos (relating to steel or diamond).