title: Rerouting electron transfer in molecular assemblies by redox-pair matching.
abstract: We demonstrate how the distance over which electron transfer occurs through organic materials can be controlled and extended. Coating of conductive surfaces with nanoscale layers of redox-active metal complexes allows the electrochemical addressing of distant layers that are otherwise electrochemically silent. Our materials can pass electrons selectively in directions that are determined by positioning of layers of metal complexes and the distances between them. These electron-transfer processes can be made dominantly uni- or bidirectional. The design involves 1) a set of isostructural metal complexes with different electron affinities, 2) a scalable metal-organic spacer, and 3) a versatile assembly approach that allows systematic variation of composition, structure, and electron-transfer properties. We control the electrochemical communication between interfaces by the deposition sequence and the spacer length, therefore we are able to program the bulk properties of the assemblies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot (Israel).
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balgley
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot (Israel).
authors.forename: Sreejith
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shankar
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot (Israel). michal.lahav@weizmann.ac.il.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lahav
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot (Israel). milko.vanderboom@weizmann.ac.il.
authors.forename: Milko E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: van der Boom
keywords: electrochemistry; electron transfer; metal complexes; redox mediators; thin films