Assembling Dimeric π Stacks on Gold Surfaces by Using Three-Dimensional Lock-and-Key Receptors

摘要

The study reported herein details a method to generate through self-assembly the shortest of p stacks, only two molecules high, which are covalently attached to gold substrates. A rigid, surface-bound molecular receptor (Figure 1a) is first formed through the simultaneous attachment of three surface-active groups to a metal. These receptors bind molecules that have a complementary p surface and hydrogen-bonding pattern to form dimeric p stacks. A lynch pin for success in a number of emerging materials, such as organic field-effect transistors,[1] molecular rectifiers, and single-molecule electronics[4] is controlling and manipulating the contacts between aromatic molecules and metal surfaces.