A series of carbonate-terminated alkanethiol molecules having systematically varying  positional isomers of the carbonate groups in the form of (CH2)OCO2(CH2)CH(CH2)nSH (3- COCnSH) and (CH2)2OCO2CH(CH2)nSH (2-COCnSH), where n = 11–12, were synthesized and  used to generate self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold to serve as mimics to the surfaces of  commercially available poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) and poly(ethylene carbonate) (PEC).  The adsorbate molecules were characterized using 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)  spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The corresponding SAMs were characterized by  ellipsometry, contact angle goniometry, polarization-modulation infrared reflection-adsorption  spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The contact angle data  showed that the wettabilities of both SAM series were similar to the PEC-coated surfaces for a  wide range of contacting liquids. As a whole, the wettability data suggest that carbonateterminated SAMs can serve as mimics of polycarbonate surfaces and can be used to investigate  the interfacial properties of polycarbonates without interference from surface reconstruction.

Carbonate–terminated self–assembled monolayers for mimicking polycarbonate surfaces

ACS Fall 2021

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