Surface noncovalent bonding for rational design of hierarchical molecular self-assemblies

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/anie.200702376

(Chemical Equation Presented) Clip chemistry: When a fully deterministic strategy that parallels polymer chemistry is used, mono-, bi-, and trifunctional clip-bearing building blocks form noncovalent surface-self-assembled dimers, polymers, and 2D networks, respectively (see scheme). These entities can then be subjected to further higher-level manipulations, as shown by controlled reorganization (cyclization) of a polymerlike chain around a molecular block.

Full text of DOI:10.1002/anie.200702376

Communications
DOI: 10.1002/anie.200702376
Hierarchical Self-Assembly
Surface Noncovalent Bonding for Rational Design of Hierarchical
Molecular Self-Assemblies
David BlØger, David Kreher, Fabrice Mathevet, AndrØ-Jean Attias,* Guillaume Schull,
Axel Huard, Ludovic Douillard, CØline Fiorini-Debuischert, and Fabrice Charra*
Self-assembly is a promising bottom-up route towards atomi-
cally precise fabrication of functional systems.[1] Nanoporous
networks[2] that can host guest molecules[3,4] were obtained on
metal surfaces under ultrahigh vacuum. Various supramolec-
ular chemistry approaches have been applied[5–9] to obtain
thermally[10,11] or chemically controlled[12,13] polymorphs. The
spontaneous formation of patterns with hexagonal,[14] porous
honeycomb,[15,16] or KagomØ[17] geometries has been also
observed at the solution/solid interface.[18,19] The topologies,
as well as the drastic structural changes often induced by
minute changes in molecular structure[20] or solvent,[21] are
usually explained a posteriori on the basis of molecular
symmetry, molecule–substrate interactions, and molecule–
molecule interactions. Interdigitation of alkyl chains is an
example of the last-named[15,16,22,23] which is of practical
interest since it is specific to the surface and does not occur in
the bulk of the solution. Surprisingly, close-packed epitaxy of
n-alkanes on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG)[24–26]
has not yet inspired the design of molecular linker exploiting
this behavior.
ure 1A). Organization of the adsorbed monolayers is driven
by two main factors: The first is the correspondence between
the zigzag alternation of methylene groups and the h100i
Figure 1. Clip design and principle. A) Linear n-alkane adsorption in
[24]
correspondence withHOPG after the Groszek model,
and B) clip
adsorption showing the rigorous preservation of the Groszek structure
Hence, we designed a new molecular unit acting as a
functional linking group able to form strong surface-assisted
intermolecular “clips” which, by interdigitation, strictly
mimic the atomically precise organization of n-alkanes on
HOPG. It forms the basis of a design strategy which parallels
polymer chemistry in that mono-, bi-, and trifunctional clip-
bearing building blocks form noncovalent surface dimers,
polymers, and two-dimensional (2D) networks, respectively.
We can then chemically steer the organization of these
entities themselves at a higher supramolecular level.
for the n-alkyl chains.
direction of HOPG, with a stabilization energy of about
64meV per methylene group. [27] The second is the parallel
packing of alkane molecules, which, besides steric hindrance,
results from a stabilization energy between nearest chains
4.1 Š apart. From theoretical estimations,[28] we can infer 2D
crystallization energies on the order of 20–25 meV per pair of
facing methylene groups. Molecular moieties that can “clip”
together in the presence of HOPG may thus be designed by
connecting, through a rigid link, every other alkane in a
lamella in such a way that the Groszek geometry is strictly
preserved.
The adsorption of n-alkanes on HOPG results in the
formation of close-packed 2D lamellae of parallel-aligned
rectilinear chains, oriented along the h100i direction of
graphite[19,25,26] according to the Groszek model[24] (Fig-
One of the simplest clip structures conforming to this
model is based on two pairs of alkoxyl chains bonded through
a p-conjugated bistilbene-like bridge, as sketched in Fig-
ure 1B. The adsorption energy of the four decyloxy chains is
about 2.6 eV and their clipping energy is around 0.7 eV. This
functional group is highly versatile and amenable to diverse
synthetic procedures. For instance, the bridge based on a
1,3,5-tristilbene or a 2,4,6-tristyrylpyridine core is the smallest
single unit that can bear one clip (I), or two or three such clips
(II and III, respectively) at the angles of 608 required for their
simultaneous adsorption on HOPG (Figure 2A–C). Thus,
molecules with various number of clips can be considered to
be monomers that are expected to form, after epitaxial
reaction, dimers or chains (cyclic oligomers or linear poly-
mers), as well as 2D networks (Figure 2D–F).
[*] D. BlØger, Dr. D. Kreher, Dr. F. Mathevet, Prof. A.-J. Attias
Laboratoire de Chimie des Polym›res-UMR 7610
UniversitØ Pierre et Marie Curie
4 place Jussieu-case 185, 75252, Paris Cedex 05 (France)
Fax : (+33)1-4427-7089
E-mail: attias@ccr.jussieu.fr
Dr. G. Schull, A. Huard, Dr. L. Douillard, Dr. C. Fiorini-Debuischert,
Dr. F. Charra
Service de Physique et Chimie des Surfaces et Interfaces
DSM-DRECAM, CEA
Centre de Saclay
91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France)
E-mail: fabrice.charra@cea.fr
Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW
under http://www.angewandte.org or from the author.
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graphene hexagons. The maximum deficit in adsorption
energy induced by the uncovered voids corresponds to the
removal of one methylene group per hexagon, and is thus
about 1.2 eV. It is compensated by the formation of two
additional clips, as compared with the polymerlike structure,
and this confirms quantitatively the strength of the clipping.
These results show that the organization obtained with a
given tristilbene rigid core is controlled by the number and
location of the alkoxyl side chains. The clip concept validated
above is generalized by the results obtained with the bifunc-
tional molecule with an elongated core IV (Figure 3). As
Figure 2. Realization of dimer-, polymer-, and networklike topologies
from a given rigid core and differently placed clips. Molecular
structures of I–III (A–C), anticipated self-assembly (D–F), and obtained
STM images (G–I) corresponding to the monofunctional (A, D, G),
bifunctional (B, E, H), and trifunctional (C, F, I) molecules, all based
on the same 2,4,6-tristyrylpyridine core. For the three STM images the
average tunnel current was IT ꢀ15 pA and the sample bias was
VT ꢀÀ1.0 V. The scanned areas were 7.8”7.3 (G), 8.1”7.5 (H), and
8.9”8.3 nm2 (I).
Figure 3. Polymerlike topology imposed by a different elongated rigid
core. Molecular structure of IV (left), anticipated self-assembly scheme
(middle), and obtained STM image (right) corresponding to bifunc-
tional molecules based on an elongated core. The average tunnel
current was IT ꢀ12 pA and the sample bias was VT ꢀÀ1.0 V. The
scanned area was 8.0”8.0 nm2.
We first synthesized the mono-, di-, and trifunctional
derivatives of Figure 2A–C, that is, compounds I–III, all
based on the same 2,4,6-tristyrylpyridine central core, in order
to analyze the influence of the number and location of the
alkoxyl substituents. To extend the clip concept to various
cores and to prove the resulting atomically precise placement,
a bifunctional elongated molecule was designed (IV, see
Figure 3), in which two functional groups end-cap a benzene
central core.
Figure 2 shows the predicted assemblies (D–F) and the
obtained STM images (G–I) for organizations of I–III. Bright
three-arm patterns, observed in all images, are unambiguously
assigned to the conjugated cores. This allows accurate analysis
of their relative positions, from which the less contrasted
organization of the alkyl groups can be inferred. When
organization of the alkyl groups is clearly visible (e.g., in
Figure 2H) it matches the deduced structures. In particular
the two facing geometries corresponding to clipping of the
two pairs of alkyl chains can be easily recognized and
confirmed quantitatively. As anticipated, mono- (Figure 2D
and G), bi- (Figure 2E and H), and trifunctional (Figure 2F
and I) molecules form supramolecular dimers, polymers, and
networks, respectively. The dimers (Figure 2D and G) are
themselves packed so as to maximize their density, with
unsubstituted sides closely facing each other. The supra-
molecular polymers (Figure 2E and H) adopt a linear
configuration through alternation of molecular orientation,
which permits the most compact packing. The engagement of
all three clips with neighboring molecules (Figure 2F and I)
results in the observed honeycomb network structure. The
areas of the alveoli correspond to about 20 uncovered
expected, the molecules arrange in a polymerlike configu-
ration. Compared to II, the clips are now parallel, and all
molecules in a polymer row are equivalent.
The final step exploits the dynamic character of supra-
molecular chemistry. More particularly, the predicted flux-
ionality of the close-packed alkyl chains[25,29] suggests a degree
of lability of the noncovalent clips and the possibility of
dynamic constitutional diversity. For example, the geomet-
rical structure of the bifunctional monomer (Figure 2B)
should also allow its assembly into cyclic hexamers, thanks
to the 608 angle between its two clips. However, because of
the energetic cost associated with uncovered voids, the more
compact linear polymer conformation is preferred (Fig-
ure 2E).
In an attempt to induce rearrangement into a cyclic
hexamer, we added hexabenzocoronene (HBC), a flat
discotic polyaromatic molecule known to be adsorbed on
HOPG and to fit exactly in the 1.3-nm hexagonal alveolus of
the honeycomb lattice in Figure 2F.[15] A droplet (ca. 5 mL) of
a dilute solution of HBC was applied, the system was then
heated to 608C, kept at this temperature for about 10 min,
and cooled to room temperature. The polymer domains were
found to be progressively replaced by domains exhibiting the
new structure shown in Figure 4: HBC molecules induced
cyclization of the non-covalent polymer as six-membered
rings. In other words, HBC behaves as a block which cancels
the energetic cost for the formation of the alveoli. After
rearrangement, all the clips had formed again, in confirmation
of the determinant structural role of these groups. The
structure of the resulting hexamers is the same as the
honeycomb units in the network of Figure 2F, but since the
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The solvent was 1-phenyloctane (98%, Aldrich), which avoids the
coadsorbtion observed with linear alkanes. The substrate was HOPG
(Goodfellow) and the tips were mechanically formed from a 250-mm
Pt–Ir wire (Pt80/Ir20, Goodfellow). The monolayers were formed by
immersing the STM junction in a droplet (ca. 10 mL) of a ca. 10À4
m
solution immediately after cleaving the substrate and approaching the
STM tip. Imaging was then carried out in situ at the liquid–solid
interface.
Received: May 31, 2007
Published online: August 17, 2007
Keywords: nanostructures · scanning probe microscopy ·
.
self-assembly · supramolecular chemistry
Figure 4. Dynamic reorganization of polymerlike topology into six-
membered rings around discotic blocks. Scheme of the rearrangement
reaction illustrating dynamic constitutional diversity of the self-assem-
bled entities formed by bifunctional molecules witha 2,4,6-tristyrylpyr-
idine core (top). STM image after rearrangement induced by addition
of hexabenzocoronene (bottom left) and scheme of the obtained
hierarchical structure (bottom right). The average tunnel current was
IT ꢀ14 pA and the sample bias was VT ꢀÀ1.0 V. The scanned area was
25.7”18.7 nm2.
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