Structural isomerization of individual molecules using a scanning tunneling microscope probe

An international research team has succeeded for the first time in controlling the chirality of individual molecules through structural isomerization. The team, led by NIMS, the Osaka University Graduate School of Science and the Kanazawa University Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), also succeeded in synthesizing highly reactive diradicals with two unpaired electrons. They accomplished these tasks using a scanning tunneling microscope probe at low temperatures.

Home Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Home Chemistry Materials Science February 6, 2024 Editors' notes This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked peer-reviewed publication trusted source proofread Structural isomerization of individual molecules using a scanning tunneling microscope probe by National Institute for Materials Science ASCII characters (reading "NanoProbe Grp. NIMS") encoded in binary (i.e., using two digits: 0 and 1) in a series of one-dimensional molecular arrays. Credit: Shigeki Kawai National Institute for Materials Science An international research team has succeeded for the first time in controlling the chirality of individual molecules through structural isomerization. The team, led by NIMS, the Osaka University Graduate School of Science and the Kanazawa University Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), also succeeded in synthesizing highly reactive diradicals with two unpaired electrons. They accomplished these tasks using a scanning tunneling microscope probe at low temperatures. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1449240174198-2'); }); The research is published in the journal Nature Communications. It is usually quite challenging to control the chirality of individual molecular units and synthesize extremely reactive diradicals in organic chemistry; this has prevented detailed investigation of the electronic and magnetic properties of diradicals. These issues inspired the development of chemical reaction techniques to control structures of individual molecules on the surface. The research team recently developed a technique that allows them to modify the chirality of specific individual molecular units in a three-dimensional nanostructure in a controlled manner. They achieved this by exciting a target molecular unit with tunneling current from a scanning tunneling microscope probe at low temperature under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. By precisely controlling current injection parameters (e.g., the molecular site, at which the tunneling current is injected at a given applied voltage), the team was able to rearrange molecular units into three different configurations: two different stereoisomers and a diradical. Finally, the team demonstrated the controllability and reproducibility of the structural isomerization by encoding ASCII characters (reading "NanoProbe Grp. NIMS") using binary and ternary values in a series of one-dimensional molecular arrays with each array representing a single character. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); In future research, the team plans to fabricate novel carbon nanostructures composed of designer molecular units, whose configurations are controlled via the structural isomerization technique developed in this project. In addition, the team will explore the possibility of creating quantum materials in which radical molecular units lead magnetic exchange couplings between the units as designed—a quantum mechanical effect. This project was carried out by a research team consisting of Shigeki Kawai (Leader, Nanoprobe Group (NG), Center for Basic Research on Materials (CBRM), NIMS), Zhangyu Yuan (Junior Researcher, NG, CBRM, NIMS), Kewei Sun (ICYS Research Fellow, NG, CBRM, NIMS), Oscar Custance (Managing Researcher, NG, CBRM, NIMS), Takashi Kubo (Professor, Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University) and Adam S. Foster (Professor, Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University; also Professor, Aalto University). More information: Shigeki Kawai et al, Local probe-induced structural isomerization in a one-dimensional molecular array, Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43659-4 Journal information: Nature Communications Provided by National Institute for Materials Science Citation: Structural isomerization of individual molecules using a scanning tunneling microscope probe (2024, February 6) retrieved 7 February 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2024-02-isomerization-individual-molecules-scanning-tunneling.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Explore further Controlling thermoelectric conversion in magnetic materials by magnetization direction 16 shares Facebook Twitter Email Feedback to editors