Electron induced ortho-meta isomerization of single molecules.
A scanning tunneling microscope operating at 5 K is used to induce the isomerization of single chloronitrobenzene molecules on Cu(111) and verify the reaction. The threshold voltage of (227+/-7) mV for this reaction is explained based on electron-induced vibrational heating. We propose that the isomerization is initiated by simultaneous excitation of two vibrational molecular modes via inelastically tunneling electrons. This excitation results in a shift of the distribution probability of chlorine and hydrogen positions, which facilitates their mutual exchange.
Simic-Milosevic
V
V
Institut für Experimentalphysik, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimalle 14, 14195 Berlin, Germany. simic@fhi-berlin.mpg.de
Mehlhorn
M
M
Rieder
K-H
KH
Meyer
J
J
Morgenstern
K
K
D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry; D004583:Electrons; D007536:Isomerism; D016252:Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009578:Nitrobenzenes / Q000737:chemistry*
D009578:Nitrobenzenes; D003300:Copper; C032785:2-chloronitrobenzene