In-situ formation of one-dimensional coordination polymers in molecular junctions

32Citations
Citations of this article
41Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

This article is free to access.

Abstract

We demonstrate the bottom-up in-situ formation of organometallic oligomer chains at the single-molecule level. The chains are formed using the mechanically controllable break junction technique operated in a liquid environment, and consist of alternating isocyano-terminated benzene monomers coordinated to gold atoms. We show that the chaining process is critically determined by the surface density of molecules. In particular, we demonstrate that by reducing the local supply of molecules within the junction, either by lowering the molecular concentration or by adding side groups, the oligomerization process can be suppressed. Our experimental results are supported by ab-initio simulations, confirming that the isocyano terminating groups display a high tendency to form molecular chains, as a result of their high affinity for gold. Our findings open the road for the controlled formation of one-dimensional, single coordination-polymer chains as promising model systems of organometallic frameworks.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Vladyka, A., Perrin, M. L., Overbeck, J., Ferradás, R. R., García-Suárez, V., Gantenbein, M., … Calame, M. (2019). In-situ formation of one-dimensional coordination polymers in molecular junctions. Nature Communications, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-08025-9

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free