On-surface Chemistry: Directing and controlling chemical interactions

On-surface synthesis of molecular frameworks offers a promising route towards custom one- and two-dimensional materials. The reduced dimensionality provided by the surface gives rise to additional options for regio- and stereo-selectivity, compared to solution-phase synthesis, due to the steric properties of the surface. The design rules and principles for on-surface synthesis are still developing, but the approach offers possibilities for controlled production of desired geometric arrangements which can incorporate the functionality of the precursor molecular units.

The very nature of on-surface reactions facilitates the use of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques to chemically identify individual molecules, providing sub-molecular resolution on the order of single bonds, and allowing characterisation of molecular products where the formation of new chemical bonds can be resolved. SPM techniques will be utilised, under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions, to characterise the structure of molecular assemblies and the products of chemical reactions. The catalytic properties of various substrates will be employed to initiate reactions, and control over the products will be explored via the use of templated surfaces and native surface structures.