A ringed, carbon-containing molecule, shown both before and after it has rearranged itself, with the two most common reaction products included. The scale bars measure 3 angstroms, or three ten-billionths of a meter, across. Image and Caption: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California at Berkeley

The reactant molecule, shown on a silver surface, before rearrangement into products. Image: S. Wickenburg, A. Riss, D. J. Mowbray, F. R. Fischer

Product 2 is one of the two most common molecules produced. Image: S. Wickenburg, A. Riss, D. J. Mowbray, F. R. Fischer

Product 3 is one of the two most common molecules produced. Image: S. Wickenburg, A. Riss, D. J. Mowbray, F. R. Fischer

Product 4 is an unexpected reaction molecule. Image: S. Wickenburg, A. Riss, D. J. Mowbray, F. R. Fischer

The team predicted the existence of Product 5, but it accounted for less than 1 percent of the reaction mixture. Image: S. Wickenburg, A. Riss, D. J. Mowbray, F. R. Fischer