Bond-Scission-Induced Structural Transformation from Cumulene to Diyne Moiety and Formation of Semiconducting Organometallic Polyyne

• DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c01925
• Publication Date: 2020-04-23T06:18:17Z
• Authors: Xin Yu; Xin Li; Haiping Lin; Mengxi Liu; Liangliang Cai; Xia Qiu; Dandan Yang; Xing Fan; Xiaohui Qiu; Wei Xu
• Keywords: Cumulene; Moiety; Bond cleavage; Carbyne

The structural transformation from symmetric cumulene to broken-symmetry polyyne within a one-dimensional (1-D) atomic carbon chain is signature of Peierls distortion. Direct observation such with single-bond resolution is, however, still challenging. Herein, we design molecule moiety (Br2C═C═C═CBr2) and employ STM tip manipulation achieve the molecular skeleton rearrangement diyne (Br–C≡C–C≡C–Br). Furthermore, by an on-surface reaction strategy, thermally induced entire debromination (:C═C═C═C:) leads formation 1-D organometallic (−C≡C–C≡C–Au−) semiconducting characteristic, which implies that Peierls-like transition may occur in rationally designed system limited length.