Electric-field-induced supramolecular phase transitions at the liquid/solid interface: cat-assembly from solvent additives. Issue 62 (3rd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mahmood, Ayyaz; Zeng, Xingming; Saleemi, Awais Siddique; Cheng, Kum-Yi; Lee, Shern-Long
• Is Part Of: Chemical communications. Volume 56:Issue 62(2020)
• Page Start: 8790
• Page End: 8793
• Publication Date: 2020-07-03
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1039/d0cc01670e
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-7345

Abstract

Abstract : The electrically triggered phase transformations of trimesic acid can be efficiently promoted to occur in an environment where trace levels of a highly polar solvent additive are present at the liquid/solid interface, as revealed by STM and DFT simulations. Abstract : We demonstrate by using scanning tunneling microscopy that a series of trace organic solvent additives can efficiently promote the electrically triggered phase transition of trimesic acid (TMA), which would otherwise occur rather sporadically. DFT simulations taking into account the electric field effect elucidate such tailored phase transformations, based on the Gibbs activation and free energies of the deprotonation reactions of TMA.