Surface Diffusion Aided by a Chirality Change of Self-Assembled Oligomers under 2D Confinement
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.: RESOLV members Prof. E. Sanchez-Garcia, Prof. W. Sander and Prof. K. Morgenstern demonstrate a new functional molecular system with a combination of several advanced features, including a self-assembled oligomer, surface chirality, chirality switching, and finally their motion on the surface.
The study reports on an unusual approach based on reversible chirality changes of self-assembled oligomers using variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy supported by quantum mechanical calculations. Six functionalized diazomethanes each self-assemble into chiral wheel-shaped oligomers on Ag(111). At 130 K, a temperature far lower than expected, the oligomers change their chirality even though the molecules reside in an embedded self-assembled structure. Each chirality change is accompanied by a slight center-of-mass shift.
