Propagation of conformation in the surface-aligned dissociation of single CH3SSCH3 molecules on Au(111).
Single CH3SSCH3 molecules adsorb on the Au(111) surface in a trans-conformation. Subsequent electron-induced dissociation of CH3SSCH3 cleaves the S-S bond and produces a pair of CH3S fragments. The dissociation process was found to preserve the conformation of the parent molecule with a high probability of 75% and imprint it in the relative position and orientation of the product CH3S species on the surface. The high probability of the conformation-retaining scenario is likely due to surface alignment of the S-S bond-breaking reaction coordinate.
Maksymovych
Peter
P
Surface Science Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA.
Yates
John T
JT