title: Collective reactivity of molecular chains self-assembled on a surface.
abstract: Self-assembly of molecules on surfaces is a route toward not only creating structures, but also engineering chemical reactivity afforded by the intermolecular interactions. Dimethyldisulfide (CH3SSCH3) molecules self-assemble into linear chains on single-crystal gold surfaces. Injecting low-energy electrons into individual molecules in the self-assembled structures with the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope led to a propagating chemical reaction along the molecular chain as sulfur-sulfur bonds were broken and then reformed to produce new CH3SSCH3 molecules. Theoretical and experimental evidence supports a mechanism involving electron attachment followed by dissociation of a CH3SSCH3 molecule and initiation of a chain reaction by one or both of the resulting CH3S intermediates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Center for Molecular and Materials Simulations, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maksymovych
authors.forename: Dan C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Sorescu
authors.forename: Kenneth D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Yates