We present a study of the dynamic behaviour of chiral aromatic molecules and prochiral substrates on Pt(111) in the context of molecular recognition at single-chiral-sites in heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis. These studies yield insight on prochiral switching and molecular motion occurring during the preorganization of prochiral substrates by chiral modifiers. DFT calculations are combined with time-lapsed room temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements at the single molecule scale. The excellent agreement between experiment and theory shows that the rotational and translational movement of the modifier is conformation-dependent. Furthermore, it shows that prochiral switching and sequential site-filling occurs at single chemisorbed modifiers.

Molecular motion and molecular recognition between chiral and prochiral molecules in asymmetric heterogeneous catalysis

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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