10.1002/chem.201404877
The research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of 'Olympicene', a polyaromatic hydrocarbon and non-Kekulé fragment of graphene known as H-Benzo[cd]pyrene. The study developed a new synthetic method for the formation of 6H-benzo[cd]pyrene and related ketones, including the first-time isolation of the unstable alcohol 6H-benzo[cd]pyren-6-ol. The researchers utilized scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) to characterize the molecular structures at the atomic level, distinguishing between different isomers and oxidation products. The purpose of this research was to revolutionize structure analysis in synthetic and materials chemistry by enabling the identification of single molecules, which is particularly challenging for polyaromatic molecules due to their numerous isomers and overlapping NMR signals. The conclusions drawn from the study highlight the potential of combining synthetic chemistry with advanced surface science techniques to solve compound identification problems at the single-molecule level, exemplified by the identification of the previously unseen and unstable molecule 5H-benzo[cd]pyrene. Chemicals used in the process include 6H-benzo[cd]pyrene, 6-oxo-6H-benzo[cd]pyrene, 5-oxo-5H-benzo[cd]pyrene, and other related isomers and derivatives.
