C60 Cycloaddition 3D Covalent Architecture

Surface synthesis goes 3D

By cycloaddition between C60 and aromatic compounds, covalent bonds are built perpendicular to the surface, enabling precise bottom-up construction of 3D organic architectures from 2D molecular networks.

Ding, Pengcheng · Wang, Shaoshan · Mattioli, Cristina · Li, Zhuo · Shi, Guoqiang · Sun, Ye · Gourdon, André · Kantorovich, Lev N. · Besenbacher, Flemming · Rosei, Federico · Yu, Miao

Nature Communications 2023

Advantages

Adduct shows frozen orientation and distinct sub-molecular feature at room temperature

Covalent coupling perpendicular to the surface via [4+2] cycloaddition upon thermal activation

Further lateral covalent bonding via [2+2] cycloaddition