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Navarro JJ, Pisarra M, Nieto-Ortega B, Villalva J, Ayani CG, Díaz C, Calleja F, Miranda R, Martín F, Pérez EM, Vázquez de Parga AL. Graphene catalyzes the reversible formation of a C-C bond between two molecules. Sci Adv 2018; 4:eaau9366. [PMID: 30555920 PMCID: PMC6294602 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aau9366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Carbon deposits are well-known inhibitors of transition metal catalysts. In contrast to this undesirable behavior, here we show that epitaxial graphene grown on Ru(0001) promotes the reversible formation of a C-C bond between -CH2CN and 7,7,8,8-tetracyano-p-quinodimethane (TCNQ). The catalytic role of graphene is multifaceted: First, it allows for an efficient charge transfer between the surface and the reactants, thus favoring changes in carbon hybridization; second, it holds the reactants in place and makes them reactive. The reaction is fully reversible by injecting electrons with an STM tip on the empty molecular orbitals of the product. The making and breaking of the C-C bond is accompanied by the switching off and on of a Kondo resonance, so that the system can be viewed as a reversible magnetic switch controlled by a chemical reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. J. Navarro
- Dep. Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - M. Pisarra
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Dep. Química Módulo 13, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - B. Nieto-Ortega
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - J. Villalva
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - C. G. Ayani
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - C. Díaz
- Dep. Química Módulo 13, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Institute for Advanced Research in Chemistry (IAdChem), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - F. Calleja
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - R. Miranda
- Dep. Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - F. Martín
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Dep. Química Módulo 13, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - E. M. Pérez
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - A. L. Vázquez de Parga
- Dep. Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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