title: Well-ordered self-assembled monolayers created via vapor-phase reactions on a monolayer template.
abstract: The reaction of vapor-phase alkyl isocyanates (O=C=N-(CH2)n-1CH3) with OH-terminated alkanethiol template monolayers on Au produces well-organized self-assembled monolayers, containing intrachain carbamate linkages (Au/S(CH2)16O(C=O)NH(CH2)n-1CH3, where n = 1-8, 11, and 12). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact angle goniometry, and reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy suggest that the template surface completely reacts with the isocyanates yielding a monolayer that contains an interchain hydrogen-bonded carbamate network. Spectroscopic data indicates that the alkyl underlayer remains well ordered following reaction with the isocyanates. The order of the overlayer and the hydrogen-bonding interactions between adjacent chains increase as a function of the alkyl isocyanate chain length, n. The overlayer appears to be well ordered for n > or = 5.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Melinda K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: Emily R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Morris