Chiral Conformation at a Molecular Level of a Propeller-Like Open-Shell Molecule on Au(111).
A key stage in engineering molecular functional organizations is represented by controlling the supramolecular assembly of single molecular building blocks, tectons, into ordered networks. Here, we show how an open-shell, propeller-like molecule has been deposited under UHV conditions on Au(111) and its supramolecular organization characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Racemic islands were observed at room temperature, and their chirality was imaged at the molecular level at low temperature. Modeling further suggests that the observed chirally alternating ordering dominated by intermolecular interactions is energetically favored. Electron paramagnetic resonance and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy evidences suggest that the supramolecular networks may preserve the open-shell character of the tecton. These results represent a fundamental step forward toward the engineering of purely organic spintronic devices.
†EaStCHEM and School of Chemistry, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9ST, United Kingdom.
Federico
F
Grillo
‡Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona-CSIC, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.|⊥CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN) Campus Río Ebro - Edificio I+D Bloque 5, 1a planta c/ Poeta Mariano Esquillor s/n, E-50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
Veronica
V
Mugnaini
‡Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona-CSIC, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.|⊥CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN) Campus Río Ebro - Edificio I+D Bloque 5, 1a planta c/ Poeta Mariano Esquillor s/n, E-50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
Malena
M
Oliveros
†EaStCHEM and School of Chemistry, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9ST, United Kingdom.
Steve M
SM
Francis
#Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504, Université de Strasbourg, F-67034 Strasbourg, France.
Deung-Jang
DJ
Choi
#Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504, Université de Strasbourg, F-67034 Strasbourg, France.
Mircea V
MV
Rastei
#Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504, Université de Strasbourg, F-67034 Strasbourg, France.
Laurent
L
Limot
∥Istituto Officina dei Materiali del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Laboratorio TASC, building MM in AREA Science Park - Basovizza, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
Cinzia
C
Cepek
∥Istituto Officina dei Materiali del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Laboratorio TASC, building MM in AREA Science Park - Basovizza, I-34149 Trieste, Italy.
Maddalena
M
Pedio
∇ICREA (Institució Catalana de Recerca y Estudis Avançats) and Department of Physical Chemistry and Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (IQTCUB), University of Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Stefan T
ST
Bromley
†EaStCHEM and School of Chemistry, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9ST, United Kingdom.
Neville V
NV
Richardson
#Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504, Université de Strasbourg, F-67034 Strasbourg, France.
Jean-Pierre
JP
Bucher
‡Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona-CSIC, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.|⊥CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN) Campus Río Ebro - Edificio I+D Bloque 5, 1a planta c/ Poeta Mariano Esquillor s/n, E-50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
Jaume
J
Veciana
chirality; modeling; photoemission; scanning tunnelling microscopy; triphenylmethyl radicals