Nanostructures on surfaces of the metalorganic compound {Fe2(CO)6[µ-S2C6H2(OH)2]} and its potential as catalyst precursor for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes.

The compound {Fe(2)(CO)(6)[µ-S(2)C(6)H(2)(OH)(2)]} is organized by H-bond interactions on graphite and SiO(2) surfaces as micron-length nanofibres. Thermal degradation of these fibres adsorbed on SiO(2) leads to a very homogeneous surface filled with Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles (ca. 2.5 nm diameter) suitable to produce few-walled carbon nanotubes laying on a clean surface.