Self-assembled monolayers of NHCs on gold have ballbot-type motion
Thursday, October 20, 2016 - 10:01
in Physics & Chemistry
Self-assembled monolayers are molecules anchored to a surface. These molecules have been used to advance the fields of molecular sensors and electronics. Monolayers on gold surfaces are typically anchored by a thiol. One alternative to thiols are N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs). First isolated in 1991, NHCs have proved an important molecule for practical uses because it can serve as a ligand for transition metals as well as some main group elements. NHCs have also been used for organocatalysis, cross-coupling reactions, and pharmaceuticals.