title: Plasmon-driven dimerization via S-S chemical bond in an aqueous environment.
abstract: The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of thioanisole are experimentally investigated in an electrochemical environment in this study. Two Raman peaks, which depend strongly not only on electric potential but also on the local surface plasmon resonances (LSPR), have been observed. Theoretical calculations reveal that thioanisole is first dissociated from thiophenol via the S-CH3 bond; plasmons then drive the dimerisation of thiophenol via the S-S bond, which is strongly potential dependent. One Raman peak corresponds to the S-S vibrational mode of the thiophenol dimer, and the other corresponds to the asymmetric C-C stretching modes of the benzenyl of the thiophenol dimer. The potential-dependent two Raman modes is the potential-dependent dimerisation dynamics of thiophenol via the S-S bond. Our experimental findings provide insight into the structural elucidation of adsorbed molecules and molecular surface reaction dynamics.
authors.affiliation: 1] The Beijing Key Laboratory for Nano-Photonics and Nano-Structure, Center for Condensed Matter Physics, Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China [2] Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 603-146, Beijing, 100190, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: The Beijing Key Laboratory for Nano-Photonics and Nano-Structure, Center for Condensed Matter Physics, Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Peijie
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencia de los Materiales, Ingeniería Metalúrgica Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Cadiz (Campus Río San Pedro), E-11510 Puerto Real (Cadiz), Spain.
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Bionanophotonics, Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg SE-412 96, Sweden.
authors.forename: Yurui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 07745 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Zhenglong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1] Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 603-146, Beijing, 100190, People's Republic of China [2] The Beijing Key Laboratory for Nano-Photonics and Nano-Structure, Center for Condensed Matter Physics, Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mengtao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun