Oxygen-Promoted on-Surface Synthesis of Polyboroxine Molecules.

ABSTRACT

We present a protocol for the on-surface synthesis of polyboroxine molecules derived from boroxine molecules precursors. This process is promoted by oxygen species present on the Au(111) surface oxygen atoms facilitate the detachment of naphthalene units of trinaphthyl-boroxine molecules and bridge two unsaturated boroxine centers to form a boroxine-O-boroxine chemical motif. X-ray spectroscopic characterization shows that, as the synthesis process proceeds, it progressively tunes the electronic properties of the interface, thus providing a promising route to control the electron level alignment.