Adsorption, Deprotonation, and Decarboxylation of Isophthalic Acid on Cu(111)

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b04233
• Publication Date: 2019-05-30T16:19:44Z
• Authors: Maryam Abyazisani; Jonathan Bradford; Nunzio Motta; Josh Lipton-Duffin; Jennifer MacLeod
• Keywords: Isophthalic acid; Carboxylate; Decarboxylation; XANES

The surface-assisted reaction of rationally designed organic precursors is an emerging approach toward fabricating atomically precise nanostructures. Recently, on-surface decarboxylation has attracted attention due to its volatile by-products, which tend leave the surface during means only desired products are retained on surface. However, in addition acting as reactive site, carboxylic acid groups play a vital role adsorption configuration small-molecule molecular and therefore pathways. Here, scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy (SRPES), near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) have been employed characterize monodeprotonated, fully deprotonated, decarboxylated isophthalic (IPA) Cu(111). IPA partially reacted (monodeprotonated) upon Cu(111) at room temperature. Angular-dependent reveals that initially anchors via carboxylate group. After annealing, molecule deprotonates reorients so it both bipodal configuration. NEXAFS confirms tilted after full deprotonation. Following decarboxylation, flat-lying forms into oligomeric motifs This work demonstrates importance geometry for reactions.