Novel Cruciform Structures as Model Compounds for Coordination Induced Single Molecule Switches

Authors

  • Sergio Grunder Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, CH-4056 Basel
  • Roman Huber Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel
  • Songmei Wu Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel
  • Christian Schönenberger Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel
  • Michel Calame Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel
  • Marcel Mayor Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, CH-4056 Basel; Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 3640, D-76021 Karlsruhe

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2010.140

Keywords:

Molecular electronics, Molecular switches, Single molecule conductance

Abstract

We have synthesized various molecular cruciforms consisting of two different crossing ?-systems and comprising crosswise arranged thiol- and pyridine-anchor groups. With these model compounds we strive towards the investigation of a new switching concept based on the potential dependent coordination of pyridines to gold electrodes in an electrochemical set-up. Integration of these cruciform molecules between both electrodes of a mechanically controlled break junction in a liquid environment gave insight into their single molecule transport properties. These studies allowed individual transport characteristics to be assigned to the bar subunits of the cruciforms but also revealed the remaining experimental challenges to realize the suggested switching concept.

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Published

2010-03-31