The use of adlayers for movement and assembly of functional molecules

PhD ceremony: Mr. J. Visser, 11.00 uur, Aula Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Dissertation: The use of adlayers for movement and assembly of functional molecules

Promotor(s): prof. B.L. Feringa

Faculty: Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), a technique that can “visualize” molecules, is used to investigate two different organic adlayers on conducting surfaces. One adlayer, comprising ordered metalloporphyrins is especially designed to bind specific molecules, such as radicals, via coordination in an ordered structure in such a way that the molecules are standing up at specific distances from each other after which they can be manipulated and measured. Four of such specific molecules are bound via this method and visualized via STM. The other adlayer is based on linear alkanes which are situated on graphite as stretched carpets. Analogously to real carpets on a plain surface, the surface becomes drastically altered due to this pentacontane carpet. The advantage of alkane modified graphite is that the interaction with certain molecules is increased and furthermore the opportunity is obtained to follow single molecules on this alkane modified graphite. Parallel a series of functional molecules are designed, synthesized and measured on alkane modified graphite via STM. These functional molecules are inspired by light-driven molecular motors, which have been developed within our group in the past 10 years. Different from the light-driven molecular motors these functional molecules comprise two parallel rotating arms, instead of one, attached to a middle part. Due to their shape, behavior and environment (considering the liquid-solid interface in which they are measured) the resemblance of these molecules with mudskippers in Nature is made.