Displayed in the applet window is the asymmetric unit of the crystal structure of the zinc porphyrin:

which crystallizes in the triclinic space group . The asymmetric unit is just half a molecule because the Zn atom lies on a crystallographic center of symmetry. The co-ordinates of the Zn atom are ½, ½, ½. The symmetry-related position (-x, -y, -z) produces another asymmetric unit by inversion through the center of symmetry at 0, 0, 0. This second asymmetric unit has Zn atom co-ordinates of -½, -½, -½ (click "center").

If this asymmetric unit is translated by +1, +1, +1, it is joined to the first asymmetric unit and completes the molecule. (Click "translate")




Compound 938