Self-assembled aggregates formed by single-molecule magnets on a gold surface.
The spontaneous ordering of molecules into two-dimensional self-assembled arrays is commonly stabilized by directional intermolecular interactions that may be promoted by the addition of specific chemical side groups to a molecule. In this paper, we show that self-assembly may also be driven by anisotropic interactions that arise from the three-dimensional shape of a complex molecule. We study the molecule Mn(12)O(12)(O(2)CCH(3))(16)(H(2)O)(4) (Mn(12)(acetate)(16)), which is transferred from solution onto a Au(111) substrate held in ultrahigh vacuum using electrospray deposition (UHV-ESD). The deposited Mn(12)(acetate)(16) molecules form filamentary aggregates because of the anisotropic nature of the molecule-molecule and molecule-substrate interactions, as confirmed by molecular dynamics calculations. The fragile Mn(12)O(12) core of the Mn(12)(acetate)(16) molecule is compatible with the UHV-ESD process, which we demonstrate using near-edge X-ray adsorption fine-structure spectroscopy. UHV-ESD of Mn(12)(acetate)(16) onto a surface that has been prepatterned with a hydrogen-bonded supramolecular network provides additional control of lateral organization.
Saywell
Alex
A
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
Magnano
Graziano
G
Satterley
Christopher J
CJ
Perdigão
Luís M A
LM
Britton
Andrew J
AJ
Taleb
Nassiba
N
del Carmen Giménez-López
María
M
Champness
Neil R
NR
O'Shea
James N
JN
Beton
Peter H
PH
D016880:Anisotropy; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D017895:Manganese Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*
D017895:Manganese Compounds; D006046:Gold