Atomic-scale origin of the enantiospecific decomposition of tartaric acid on chiral copper surfaces.

The origin of the enantiospecific decomposition of L- and D-tartaric acid on chiral Cu surfaces is elucidated on a structure-spread domed Cu(110) crystal by spatially resolved XPS and atomic-scale STM imaging. Extensive enantiospecific surface restructuring leads to the formation of surfaces vicinal to Cu(14,17,2) which are responsible for the enantiospecificity.