Molecular architecture of oligothiophene on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surface by employing hydrogen bondings.
To achieve a controllable and predictable molecular architecture on a two-dimensional (2D) surface, a series of oligothiophenes with carboxylic groups and alkane chains were synthesized. The alkane chains and carboxylic groups, which can form hydrogen bonding, were intentionally designed in different positions of the oligothiophenes. The resulted molecular architectures by using the so-prepared oligothiophenes on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface were investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT). It is found that the hydrogen bonding plays an essential role in the formation of the ordered assemblies. A controlled 2D molecular assembly could be fabricated by using hydrogen bondings.
Xu
Li-Ping
LP
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China.
Gong
Jian-Ru
JR
Wan
Li-Jun
LJ
Jiu
Tong-Gang
TG
Li
Yu-Liang
YL
Zhu
Dao-Ben
DB
Deng
Ke
K