Surface-confined alternating copolymerization with molecular precision by stoichiometric control

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44955-3
• Publication Date: 2024-01-22T15:02:52Z
• Authors: Lingbo Xing; Jie Li; Yuchen Bai; Yuxuan Lin; Lianghong Xiao; Changlin Li; Dahui Zhao; Yongfeng Wang; Qiwei Chen; Jing Liu; Kai Wu
• Keywords: Stoichiometry

Keen desires for artificial mimicry of biological polymers and property improvement synthesized ones have triggered intensive explorations sequence-controlled copolymerization. However, conventional synthesis faces great challenges to achieve this goal due the strict requirements on reaction kinetics comonomer pairs tedious synthetic processes. Here, alternating copolymerization with molecular precision is realized surface. The stoichiometric control serves as a thermodynamic strategy steer polymerization selectivity, which enables selective organometallic via intermolecular metalation 4,4"-dibromo-p-terphenyl (P-Br) 2,5-diethynyl-1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene (A-H) Ag adatoms Ag(111) at P-Br: A-H = 2, verified by scanning tunneling microscopy density functional theory studies. In contrast, homopolymerization yield increases ratio deviates from 2. microscopic characterizations rationalize mechanism, providing delicate explanation stoichiometry-dependent polymerization. These findings pave way actualizing an efficient sequence surface chemistry.