Molybdenum tricarbonyl complex functionalised with a molecular triazatriangulene platform on Au(111): surface spectroscopic characterisation.

Transition metal complexes form the basis for small molecule activation and are relevant for electrocatalysis. To combine both approaches the attachment of homogeneous catalysts to metallic surfaces is of significant interest. Towards this goal a molybdenum tricarbonyl complex supported by a tripodal phosphine ligand was covalently bound to a triazatriangulene (TATA) platform via an acetylene unit and the resulting TATA-functionalised complex was deposited on a Au(111) surface. The corresponding self-assembled monolayer was characterised with scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS). The vibrational properties of the surface-adsorbed complexes were investigated with the help of infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), and the frequency/intensity changes with respect to the bulk spectrum were analysed. A full vibrational analysis was performed with the help of DFT.

Observation of Collective Photoswitching in Free-Standing TATA-Based Azobenzenes on Au(111).

Light-induced transitions between the trans and cis isomer of triazatriangulenium-based azobenzene derivatives on Au(111) surfaces were observed directly by scanning tunneling microscopy, allowing atomic-scale studies of the photoisomerization kinetics. Although the azobenzene units in these adlayers are free-standing and spaced at uniform distances of 1.26 nm, their photoswitching depends on the isomeric state of the surrounding molecules and, specifically, is accelerated by neighboring cis isomers. These collective effects are supported by ab initio calculations indicating that the electronic excitation preferably localizes on the n-π* state of trans isomers with neighboring cis azobenzenes.

Norbornadiene-functionalized triazatriangulenium and trioxatriangulenium platforms.

Triazatriangulenium (TATA) and trioxatriangulenium (TOTA) ions are particularly suited systems to mount functional molecules onto atomically flat surfaces such as Au(111). The TATA and TOTA units serve as platforms that absorb onto the surface and form ordered monolayers, while the functional groups are protruding upright and freestanding from the central carbon atoms. Azobenzene derivatized TATA's are known to exhibit extremely fast cis→trans isomerization on metal surfaces, via a peculiar non-adiabatic singlet→triplet→singlet mechanism. We now prepared norbornadienes (NBD) and quadricyclanes (QC) attached to TATA and TOTA platforms which can be used to check if these accelerated rates and the spin change mechanism also apply to [2 + 2] cycloreversions (QC→NBD).

Molecular platforms as versatile building blocks for multifunctional photoswitchable surfaces.

Controlled attachment of photoswitchable molecules to solid surfaces is a promising route for the realization of complex machine-like molecular functions. A central next step here is the preparation of adlayers with multiple chemical functions that have defined intermolecular spacings and orientations and interact with each other in a controlled way, resulting in novel advanced system properties. We demonstrate that this is possible using molecular platforms with vertical functional units. Employing molecular components with identical triazatriangulenium-based units, we prepared mixed adlayers of platforms carrying a stable photoswitch and bare platforms, platforms with vertical pyridine units, and platforms with metastable switches, respectively. All these mixed layers are highly hexagonally ordered, can be easily varied in composition, and exhibit a stochastic arrangement of the two molecular components.

Diazocine-functionalized TATA platforms.

Recently, it has been shown that the thermochemical cis→trans isomerization of azobenzenes is accelerated by a factor of more than 1000 by electronic coupling to a gold surface via a conjugated system with 11 bonds and a distance of 14 Å. The corresponding molecular architecture consists of a platform (triazatriangulenium (TATA)) which adsorbs on the gold surface, with an acetylene spacer standing upright, like a post in the middle of the platform and the azobenzene unit mounted on top. The rate acceleration is due to a very peculiar thermal singlet-triplet-singlet mechanism mediated by bulk gold. To investigate this mechanism further and to examine scope and limitation of the "spin-switch catalysis" we now prepared analogous diazocine systems. Diazocines, in contrast to azobenzenes, are stable in the cis-configuration. Upon irradiation with light of 405 nm the cis-configuration isomerizes to the trans-form, which slowly returns back to the stable cis-isomer. To investigate the thermal trans→cis isomerization as a function of the conjugation to the metal surface, we connected the acetylene spacer in meta (weak conjugation) and in para (strong conjugation) position. Both isomers form ordered monolayers on Au(111) surfaces.

Long-Distance Rate Acceleration by Bulk Gold.

We report on a very unusual case of surface catalysis involving azobenzenes in contact with a Au(111) surface. A rate acceleration of the cis-trans isomerization on gold up to a factor of 1300 compared to solution is observed. By using carefully designed molecular frameworks, the electronic coupling to the surface can be systematically tuned. The isomerization kinetics of molecules with very weak coupling to the metal is similar to that found in solution. For their counterparts with strong coupling, the relaxation rate is shown to depend on the spin-density distribution in the triplet states of the molecules. This suggests that an intersystem crossing is involved in the relaxation process. Aside from their impact on catalytic processes, these effects could be used to trigger reactions over long distances.

Influence of a Metal Substrate on Small-Molecule Activation Mediated by a Surface-Adsorbed Complex.

Activating small molecules with transition metal complexes adsorbed on metal surfaces is a novel approach combining aspects of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. In order to study the influence of an Au(111) substrate on the activation of the small-molecule ligand carbon monoxide, a molybdenum tricarbonyl complex containing a PN3 P pincer ligand was synthesized and investigated in the bulk, in solution, and adsorbed on an Au(111) surface. By means of a platform approach, a perpendicular orientation of the molybdenum complex was achieved and confirmed by IRRAS and NEXAFS. By using vibrational spectroscopy (IR, Raman, IRRAS) coupled to DFT calculations, the influence of the metal substrate on the activation of the CO ligands bound to the molybdenum complex was determined. The electron-withdrawing behavior of gold causes an overall shift of the CO stretching vibrations to higher frequencies, which is partly compensated by dynamic charge transfer from the substrate to the molybdenum center, which increases its (dynamic) polarizability.

Imine-Functionalized Triazatriangulenium Platforms: Towards an Artificial Ciliated Epithelium.

Triazatriangulenium (TATA) platforms have been used to prepare highly ordered, self-assembled monolayers of free- and vertically standing imines on Au(111) surfaces. Upon irradiation, the imines undergo trans-cis isomerization and a fast thermal reaction (t1/2 =0.58 s at 20 °C) back to the more stable trans form. It is known that the photochemical reaction proceeds through rotation of the C=N bond and the thermochemical reaction through inversion at the N atom. The imine motors, therefore, should be able to induce a net displacement of particles above the surface similar to cilia epithelia in nature.

Monitoring the reversible photoisomerization of an azobenzene-functionalized molecular triazatriangulene platform on Au(111) by IRRAS.

Spectroscopic evidence of a reversible, photoinduced trans ↔ cis photoisomerization is provided for an azobenzene-functionalized triazatriangulene (TATA) platform on Au(111). As shown by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), these molecules form a well-ordered self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on Au(111). The surface-adsorbed azo-TATA platforms are also investigated by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS); a methoxy marker group at the upper phenyl ring of the azo moiety is employed to monitor the switching state. The IRRAS data are analyzed by comparison with theoretical and transmission IR spectra as well as bulk and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) data. IRRAS shows that the methoxy group is oriented perpendicular to the surface in trans- and tilted with respect to the surface normal in cis-configuration. This indicates that the photoswitching capability of the azobenzene moieties is retained on the gold surface. The lifetime of the cis-configuration is, however, reduced by a factor of ∼10(3) with respect to the homogeneous solution.