The molecular-level identification of a chiral recognition process of phthalocyanine (Pc) was studied on a Cu(100) surface by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). STM revealed that a chiral Pc molecule forms a s...The molecular-level identification of a chiral recognition process of phthalocyanine (Pc) was studied on a Cu(100) surface by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). STM revealed that a chiral Pc molecule forms a series of metastable dimer configurations with other Pc molecules. Eventually, the Pc molecule recognizes another Pc molecule with the same chirality to form a stable dimer configuration. Homochiral dimers were found on the Cu surface, demonstrating the chiral specificity of Pc dimerization. The mechanism for this chiral recognition process is identified, disclosing the critical role of the particular adsorption geometry of the chiral dimers on the Cu surface.展开更多
基金Acknowledgements This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2013CB934200) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 10979015 and 50976048). L. W. acknowledges the financial support from the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China (No. NECT-11-1003) and Jiangxi Provincial "Ganpo Talents 555 Projects". M. D. D. acknowledges financial support from the Danish National Research Foundation, the Carlsberg Foundation, and the Villum Foundation.
文摘The molecular-level identification of a chiral recognition process of phthalocyanine (Pc) was studied on a Cu(100) surface by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). STM revealed that a chiral Pc molecule forms a series of metastable dimer configurations with other Pc molecules. Eventually, the Pc molecule recognizes another Pc molecule with the same chirality to form a stable dimer configuration. Homochiral dimers were found on the Cu surface, demonstrating the chiral specificity of Pc dimerization. The mechanism for this chiral recognition process is identified, disclosing the critical role of the particular adsorption geometry of the chiral dimers on the Cu surface.