As the scale of microelectronic circuit devices approaches the atomic limit, the development of molecular-based wires and magnets has become more prevalent. The Doerrer group has taken a building-block, bottoms-up approach to the development of improved electronic structure and magnetic properties of quasi-1D arrays, resulting in a large family of heterobimetallic lantern complexes. Previously, lantern complexes were bridged with symmetric and asymmetric bridging ligands such as pyrazine and thiocyanate. The magnetic and structural characterization of these 1D arrays has already been explored, but their potential as electrically conducting nanowires has not yet been probed. A series of compounds with the composition [PtM(SAc)4(pySCH3)] (M=Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn) has been synthesized and fully characterized. The pySCH3 terminal ligand is a well-known anchoring group for STM conductivity measurements due to its ability to coordinate the Au tip. Using this anchoring group as well as the affinity on S in the {PtS4} unit to coordinate gold, a single molecule junction can be made, and the conductivity of this building block measured. These data will delineate the electronic structure/property relationships needed to design 1D arrays as wires. Initial work has shown electronic conductivity in the [PtFe(SAc)4(pySCH3)] building block at distances consistent with a single molecule in the tip-surface gap.

Synthesis and STM single molecule conductivity measurements of heterobimetallic lantern complexes

256th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.