2D random organization of racemic amino acid monolayers driven by nanoscale adsorption footprints: Proline on Cu(110)

Abstract

(Figure Presented) Amino adds find their feet: Scanning tunneling microscopy of racemic (R,S)proline on Cu(110) reveals rows of random chiral amino acid sequences, showing that organization is not governed by molecular chirality. Instead, the system is dictated by a strict heterochiral adsorption-footprint template, in which each adsorption position can be occupied by either enantiomer (see picture), resulting in a random solid solution in 2D. © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.