Mercury-Mediated Attachment of Metal-Sandwich-Based Altitudinal Molecular Rotors to Gold Surfaces

0346410 - ÚFCH JH 2011 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Mulcahy, M. E. - Bastl, Zdeněk - Stensrud, Kenneth F. - Magnera, T. F. - Michl, Josef
Mercury-Mediated Attachment of Metal-Sandwich-Based Altitudinal Molecular Rotors to Gold Surfaces.
Journal of Physical Chemistry C. Roč. 114, č. 33 (2010), s. 14050-14060. ISSN 1932-7447. E-ISSN 1932-7455
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KAN100400702; GA ČR GA203/07/1619
Grant - others:ERC Advanced Grant(XE) 227756
Program: FP7
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40400503; CEZ:AV0Z40550506
Keywords : XPS * STM * molecular rotors
Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry
Impact factor: 4.520, year: 2010

Gold surface attachment of altitudinal molecular rotors provided with ten −HgSCH2CH2SCH3 “tentacles” has been monitored with ellipsometry, scanning tunneling microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The rotors appear to adsorb on the gold surface in the intended orientation, with rotor axle parallel to the surface, without any inclination for multilayer growth. According to XPS data, the sulfur-containing tentacles start to be detectably oxidized within hours of exposure to air and can be ultimately removed by washing. The rotor molecules nevertheless remain firmly attached in the desired orientation, apparently due to a direct interaction of their Hg atoms with the gold surface. When the tentacles are simplified to −HgOCOCF3 substituents, the molecules adhere to the surface as well, but not always in the desired orientation.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0187447