Formation of Highly Ordered Terminal Alkyne Self-Assembled Monolayers on the Au{111} Surface through Substitution of 1-Decaboranethiolate

Abstract

The reaction aimed at completing and closing the open cages of 1-decaboranethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au{111} with 4-phenyl-1-butyne results in highly ordered monolayers of 4-phenyl-1-butyne. The initially disordered 1-decaboranethiolate changed into ordered (√3×√3)R 30° lattices on Au{111} typical of alkyne SAMs, indicating the complete substitution of 1-decaboranethiolate moieties, as determined by nanoscale imaging with scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Vibrational spectroscopy results indicate that the process happens gradually and that alkynyl groups are not totally oxidized in the ordered 4-phenyl-1-butyne monolayer.