Electroactive Self-Assembled Monolayers of Unique Geometric Structures by Using Rigid Norbornylogous Bridges

External electric field, a potential catalyst for C-N cross-coupling reaction

The present work investigates the role of the external electric field (EEF) in boosting the C-N cross-coupling reaction between 2-chlorobenzoic acid and propylamine, by computing the reaction rates and energy barrier. The investigation suggests that the reaction can become barrierless by choosing an electric field in the appropriate direction, resulting in a quadrillionfold increase in the reaction rate in the presence of an EEF. We also found that the efficiency of the electric field depends on the dipole moment of the reactants, and hence, the results of the present work are general in nature and should be applicable to a variety of C-N cross-coupling reactions.

Electrochemically driven host–guest interactions on patterned donor/acceptor self-assembled monolayers

Patterned ferrocene/anthraquinone self-assembled monolayers are selectively oxidised or reduced to locally control the formation of host–guest complexes on the surface.

Electrostatic catalysis of a Diels-Alder reaction

It is often thought that the ability to control reaction rates with an applied electrical potential gradient is unique to redox systems. However, recent theoretical studies suggest that oriented electric fields could affect the outcomes of a range of chemical reactions, regardless of whether a redox system is involved. This possibility arises because many formally covalent species can be stabilized via minor charge-separated resonance contributors. When an applied electric field is aligned in such a way as to electrostatically stabilize one of these minor forms, the degree of resonance increases, resulting in the overall stabilization of the molecule or transition state. This means that it should be possible to manipulate the kinetics and thermodynamics of non-redox processes using an external electric field, as long as the orientation of the approaching reactants with respect to the field stimulus can be controlled. Here, we provide experimental evidence that the formation of carbon-carbon bonds is accelerated by an electric field. We have designed a surface model system to probe the Diels-Alder reaction, and coupled it with a scanning tunnelling microscopy break-junction approach. This technique, performed at the single-molecule level, is perfectly suited to deliver an electric-field stimulus across approaching reactants. We find a fivefold increase in the frequency of formation of single-molecule junctions, resulting from the reaction that occurs when the electric field is present and aligned so as to favour electron flow from the dienophile to the diene. Our results are qualitatively consistent with those predicted by quantum-chemical calculations in a theoretical model of this system, and herald a new approach to chemical catalysis.

Toward the Control of the Creation of Mixed Monolayers on Glassy Carbon Surfaces by Amine Oxidation

A versatile and simple methodology for the creation of mixed monolayers on glassy carbon (GC) surfaces was developed, using an osmium-bipyridyl complex and anthraquinone as model redox probes. The work consisted in the electrochemical grafting on GC of a mixture of mono-protected diamine linkers in varying ratios which, after attachment to the surface, allowed orthogonal deprotection. After optimisation of the deprotection conditions, it was possible to remove one of the protecting groups selectively, couple a suitable osmium complex and cap the residual free amines. The removal of the second protecting group allowed the coupling of anthraquinone. The characterisation of the resulting surfaces by cyclic voltammetry showed the variation of the surface coverage of the two redox centres in relation to the initial ratio of the linking amine in solution.

Surface-bound norbornylogous bridges as molecular rulers for investigating interfacial electrochemistry and as single molecule switches

Electron transfer (ET) reactions through molecules attached to surfaces, whether they are through single molecules or ensembles, are the subject of much research in molecular electronics, bioelectronics, and electrochemistry. Therefore, understanding the factors that govern ET is of high importance. The availability of rigid hydrocarbon molecular scaffolds possessing well-defined configurations and lengths that can be systematically varied is crucial to the development of such devices. In this Account, we demonstrate how suitably functionalized norbornylogous (NB) systems can provide important insights into interfacial ET processes and electrical conduction through single molecules. To this end, we created NB bridges with vic-trans-bismethylenethiol groups at one end so they can assemble on gold electrodes and redox species at the distal ends. With these in hand, we then formed mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) containing a small proportion of the NB bridges diluted with alkanethiols. As such, the NB bridges served as molecular rulers for probing the environment above the surface defined by the diluent species. Using this construct, we were able to measure the interfacial potential distribution above the diluent surface, and track how variation in the ionic distribution in the electrical double layer impacts ET kinetics. Using the same construct, but with a redox molecule that remains neutral in both oxidized and reduced states, we could explore the impact of the chemical environment near a surface on ET processes. These results are important, because with conventional surface constructs, ET occurs across this interfacial region. Such knowledge is therefore relevant to the design of molecular systems at surfaces involving ET. With a second family of molecules, we investigated aspects of single-molecule electrical conduction using NB bridges bearing vic-trans-bismethylenethiol groups at both ends of the bridge. This gave us insights into distance-dependent electron transport through single molecules and introduced a method of boosting the conductance of saturated molecules by incorporating aromatic moieties in their backbone. These partially conjugated NB molecules represent a new class of molecular wires with far greater stability than conventional completely conjugated molecular wires. Of particular note was our demonstration of a single molecule switch, using a NB bridge containing an embedded anthraquinone redox group, the switching mechanism being via electrochemically controlled quantum interference.

Investigation of an electrochemically switched heterocyclization reaction on gold surface

We report an investigation of an electrochemically switched heterocyclization reaction on hydroquinone-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). This reaction involves an electrochemically modulated hydroquinone/benzoquinone transformation step in the SAMs and a subsequent heterocyclization step taking place between the electrochemically generated benzoquinone moieties in SAMs and l-cysteine in solution. The reaction process was monitored by XPS and electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (EC-SERS). The surface reaction proceeds as a two-step reaction to give a benzothiazine product, which is in contrast to the much more complicated multiple step reactions in solution. This result suggests that the tight molecular packing in the SAMs does not hinder the intramolecular heterocylization reaction, but prevents the intermolecular coupling reaction from happening. This work provides insights to the control and detection of biomolecule related multistep reactions occurring at solid-liquid interface.