Engineering of linear molecular nanostructures by a hydrogen-bond-mediated modular and flexible host-guest assembly.
The formation of a desired nanostructure with concomitant patterns and functions is of utmost importance in the field of surface molecular engineering and nanotechnology. We here present a flexible host-guest assembly, which steers the formation of linear molecular nanostructures on surfaces by a hydrogen-bond-mediated assembly process. A linear monodendron molecular template with periodic hydrogen-bond binding sites is shown to accommodate a variety of molecules with pyridylethynyl terminals. The unit cell parameters in the transverse direction of the linear pattern can be tuned from 3.4 to 7.3 nm in response to the packing of the guest molecules with different sizes, shapes, and aggregation number. The introduction of hydrogen-bonding partners into the host template and into guest molecules is responsible for the steering of the linear pattern of guest molecules. The modular approach could greatly facilitate the ordering of guest molecules with desired functional moieties.
Zhang
Xu
X
Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Chen
Ting
T
Yan
Hui-Juan
HJ
Wang
Dong
D
Fan
Qing-Hua
QH
Wan
Li-Jun
LJ
Ghosh
Koushik
K
Yang
Hai-Bo
HB
Stang
Peter J
PJ
D001665:Binding Sites; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D008422:Materials Testing; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry; D016252:Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling / Q000379:methods; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties
D008670:Metals; D012997:Solvents