Orbital specific chirality and homochiral self-assembly of achiral molecules induced by charge transfer and spontaneous symmetry breaking

We study the electronic mechanisms underlying the induction and propagation of chirality in achiral molecules deposited on surfaces. Combined scanning tunneling microscopy and ab initio electronic structure calculations of Cu-phthalocyanines adsorbed on Ag(100) reveal the formation of chiral molecul...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2010-09, Vol.105 (11), p.115702-115702, Article 115702
Main Authors: Mugarza, A, Lorente, N, Ordejón, P, Krull, C, Stepanow, S, Bocquet, M-L, Fraxedas, J, Ceballos, G, Gambardella, P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adsorption
Electron Transport
Indoles - chemistry
Metals - chemistry
Models, Molecular
Molecular Conformation
Organometallic Compounds - chemistry
Quantum Theory
Silver - chemistry
Stereoisomerism
Surface Properties
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Summary:We study the electronic mechanisms underlying the induction and propagation of chirality in achiral molecules deposited on surfaces. Combined scanning tunneling microscopy and ab initio electronic structure calculations of Cu-phthalocyanines adsorbed on Ag(100) reveal the formation of chiral molecular orbitals in structurally undistorted molecules. This effect shows that chirality can be manifest exclusively at the electronic level due to asymmetric charge transfer between molecules and substrate. Single molecule chirality correlates with attractive van der Waals interactions, leading to the propagation of chirality at the supramolecular level. Ostwald ripening provides an efficient pathway for complete symmetry breaking and self-assembly of homochiral supramolecular layers.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.105.115702