Term: polytopal rearrangement
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04755

Definition:
Stereoisomerization interconverting different or equivalent spatial arrangements of ligands about a central atom or of a cage of atoms, where the ligand or cage defines the vertices of a polyhedron. For example pyramidal inversion of amines, Berry pseudorotation of PF5, rearrangements of polyhedral boranes.

Related Terms:
1) ligands (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03518).
2) central atom (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C00930).
3) cage (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C00769).
4) amines (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00274).
5) boranes (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.B00709).
6) pyramidal inversion (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04956).
7) berry pseudorotation (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04934).

Source: PAC, 1996, 68, 2193. 'Basic terminology of stereochemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)' on page 2213 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199668122193)

Citation: 'polytopal rearrangement' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04755

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