On-surface reductive coupling of aldehydes on Au(111)

Abstract

On-surface synthesis of a polyphenylene vinylene oligomer via reductive coupling of a terephthalaldehyde derivative on Au(111) is reported. Scanning tunneling microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy experiments confirmed oxygen dissociation and its desorption from the surface. Density functional theory calculations provided a reasonable reaction mechanism involving reactive sites on the substrate.