Templated bilayer self-assembly of fully conjugated π-expanded macrocyclic oligothiophenes complexed with fullerenes.

ABSTRACT: Fully conjugated macrocyclic oligothiophenes exhibit a combination of highly attractive structural, optical and electronic properties, and multifunctional molecular thin film architectures thereof are envisioned. However, control over the self-assembly of such systems becomes increasingly challenging, the more complex the target structures are. Here we show a robust self-assembly based on hierarchical non-covalent interactions. A self-assembled monolayer of hydrogen-bonded trimesic acid at the interface between an organic solution and graphite provides host-sites for the epitaxial ordering of Saturn-like complexes of fullerenes with oligothiophene macrocycles in mono- and bilayers. STM tomography verifies the formation of the templated layers. Molecular dynamics simulations corroborate the

SUBMITTER: Cojal Gonzalez JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5353715 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature