Supramolecular Assemblies, Grids, Arrays, Chains

Lin and co-workers [177] have studied self-constructing arrays of individual Fe-l,2,4-benzenetricarboxyhc acid (Fe-tmla) complexes on a Cu(lll) substrate, produced by OMBE deposition of precursor tmla adlayers and iron atoms in ultrahigh vacuum. These selfconstructed metal-organic arrays (of four tmla molecules per one Fe atom) form large homochiral monolayers (i.e. both S and R chirality are found) extending laterally up to 200 nm. 

Tanaka and co-workers [178] have introduced poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (PHT) into ultrahigh vacuum by pulse injection onto Cu(lll) surfaces. With low temperature STM (92K) they could observe the polymer chain with high resolution and study details of curving and kinks in the chain (Fig. 10.27c). 

These examples have been chosen to illustrate just how manifold the applications of scanning probe techniques are to the field of supramolecular chemistry. The increasing number of publications each year leads to the conclusion that we are probably only at the beginning of many more interesting investigations. 

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