Fullerene cations have exhibited this effect, which results in the distortion of their symmetry.  The static variety occurs when the lowest energy level of a molecule is degenerate, in which case it distorts spontaneously so as to remove the degeneracy and make one energy level more stable.  The more famous variety is the spontaneous, in which the overall energy of a system is reduced by splitting the energy levels in an electronically excited st
Fullerene cations have exhibited this effect, which results in the distortion of their symmetry.  The static variety occurs when the lowest energy level of a molecule is degenerate, in which case it distorts spontaneously so as to remove the degeneracy and make one energy level more stable.  The more famous variety is the spontaneous, in which the overall energy of a system is reduced by splitting the energy levels in an electronically excited state.  FTP, identify this effect that results in the elongation of one axis of a supposedly symmetrical complex inorganic ion.
Fullerene cations have exhibited this effect, which results in the distortion of their symmetry.  
Jahn-Teller effect