Evidence for Cleavage of Disulfides in the Self-Assembled Monolayer on Au(111)

• Published in: Langmuir Vol. 13; no. 13; pp. 3261 - 3265
• Main Authors: Ishida, Takao, Yamamoto, Shin'ichi, Mizutani, Wataru, Motomatsu, Makoto, Tokumoto, Hiroshi, Hokari, Hirofumi, Azehara, Hiroaki, Fujihira, Masamichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 25.06.1997
• Subjects: Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Solid-liquid interface; Surface physical chemistry; Self assembly; Monolayer; Gold; Liquid solid interface; Aliphatic compound; Thiolate; Alkanethiol; Transition metal; Crystal face; Fluorine compound; X ray; Experimental study; Group IB metal; Organic disulfide; Molecular assembly; Photoelectron spectrometry
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/la962022y

Following the proposal of a new structural model by Fenter et al. (Science 1994, 266, 1216), several reports have indicated the existence of dimers in a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) film on Au (111). We synthesized an asymmetric disulfide with hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon chains, and observed phase-separated domains in the SAM film with force microscopy after annealing at 100 °C for 8 h. The phase separation clearly shows the cleavage of the S−S bond of the disulfide in the film. Although it cannot be confirmed whether the phase-separated domains consist of exchanged dimers or monomers (thiolates), we obtained new insights into the stability and diffusion of molecules in SAM films.