Volume 18, Issue 10 pp. 3056-3063
Full Paper

Switchable Self-Assembly of a Bioinspired Alkyl Catechol at a Solid/Liquid Interface: Competitive Interfacial, Noncovalent, and Solvent Interactions

Javier Saiz-Poseu

Javier Saiz-Poseu

Centro de Investigación en Nanociencia y Nanotecnología (ICN-CSIC), Esfera UAB, Edificio CM7, Campus UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain), Fax: (+34) 935813717

Fundación Privada ASCAMM, Unidad de Nanotecnología (NANOMM), Parc Tecnològic del Vallès, Av. Universitat Autònoma, 23-08290, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain)

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Dr. Jordi Faraudo

Dr. Jordi Faraudo

Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Campus de la UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain)

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Antoni Figueras

Antoni Figueras

Department de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici C, Campus UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain)

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Dr. Ramon Alibes

Dr. Ramon Alibes

Department de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici C, Campus UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain)

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Dr. Felix Busqué

Corresponding Author

Dr. Felix Busqué

Department de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici C, Campus UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain)

Felix Busqué, Department de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici C, Campus UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain)

Daniel Ruiz-Molina, Centro de Investigación en Nanociencia y Nanotecnología (ICN-CSIC), Esfera UAB, Edificio CM7, Campus UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain), Fax: (+34) 935813717

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Dr. Daniel Ruiz-Molina

Corresponding Author

Dr. Daniel Ruiz-Molina

Centro de Investigación en Nanociencia y Nanotecnología (ICN-CSIC), Esfera UAB, Edificio CM7, Campus UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain), Fax: (+34) 935813717

Felix Busqué, Department de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici C, Campus UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain)

Daniel Ruiz-Molina, Centro de Investigación en Nanociencia y Nanotecnología (ICN-CSIC), Esfera UAB, Edificio CM7, Campus UAB, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona (Spain), Fax: (+34) 935813717

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First published: 30 January 2012
Citations: 31

Graphical Abstract

Recognized strong adhesion and organization of catechols on surfaces has been used as a means to study the main parameters that control molecular self-assembly processes on surfaces, namely, the energetics (molecule/molecule, molecule/surface interactions) and thermodynamics (solvent effects; see figure). This knowledge is used to establish temperature-induced switchable 2D supramolecular structures

Abstract

The large tendency of catechol rings to adsorb on surfaces has been studied by STM experiments with molecular resolution combined with molecular-dynamics simulations. The strong adhesion is due to interactions with the surface and solvent effects. Moreover, the thermodynamic control over the differential adsorption of 1 and the nonanoic solvent molecules has been used to induce a new temperature-induced switchable interconversion. Two different phases that differ in their crystal packing and the presence of solvent molecules coexist upon an increase or decrease in the temperature. These results open new insight into the behavior of catechol molecules on surfaces and 2D molecular suprastructures.