Issue 22, 2022

Steric hindrance in the on-surface synthesis of diethynyl-linked anthracene polymers

Abstract

Hybrid sp–sp2 structures can be efficiently obtained on metal substrates via on-surface synthesis. The choice of both the precursor and the substrate impacts on the effectiveness of the process and the stability of the formed structures. Here we demonstrate that using anthracene-based precursor molecules on Au(111) the formation of polymers hosting sp carbon chains is affected by the steric hindrance between aromatic groups. In particular, by scanning tunneling microscopy experiments and density functional theory simulations we show that the de-metalation of organometallic structures induces a lateral separation of adjacent polymers that prevents the formation of ordered domains. This study contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms driving the on-surface synthesis processes, a fundamental step toward the realization of novel carbon-based nanostructures with perspective applications in nanocatalysis, photoconversion, and nano-electronics.

Graphical abstract: Steric hindrance in the on-surface synthesis of diethynyl-linked anthracene polymers

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 Feb 2022
Accepted
13 Mai 2022
First published
17 Mai 2022
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2022,24, 13616-13624

Steric hindrance in the on-surface synthesis of diethynyl-linked anthracene polymers

S. Achilli, F. Tumino, A. Rabia, A. Orbelli Biroli, A. Li Bassi, A. Bossi, N. Manini, G. Onida, G. Fratesi and C. S. Casari, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2022, 24, 13616 DOI: 10.1039/D2CP00730D

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