Amino acids are the building blocks of all proteins. The way in which they assemble on surfaces can give useful information for ways of controlling material symmetry to induce exotic behavior and provide methods to develop atomically manufactured molecular networks for generating artificial condensed matter testbeds. Except for glycine, all nineteen of the other simple amino acids exhibit either D- or L- chirality. However, all proteins selectively use only the L-configuration of amino acids. In attempt to understand this selectively as well as obtain an understand of the molecular assemblies of amino acids on surfaces, we have studied several amino acids on a Cu(111) surface. With some amino acids, in particular tryptophan and threonine, one or two basic building blocks are observed. These building blocks have a distinct chirality depending on whether D- or L-configuration is adsorbed onto the surface. When a D/L racemic mixture is used, the building units separate out into individual D or L assemblies. Other amino acids such as serine, result in more complex molecular assemblies. <br/>

Surface molecular assemblies of amino acids on Cu(111)

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

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