TY  - JOUR
AB  - Elucidating molecular-scale details of basic reaction steps on surfaces is decisive for a fundamental understanding of molecular reactivity within many fields, including catalysis and on-surface synthesis. Here, the deprotonation of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) deposited onto calcite (101;4) held at room temperature is followed in situ by noncontact atomic force microscopy. After deposition, the molecules form two coexisting phases, a transient striped phase and a stable dense phase. A detailed analysis of high-resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy images indicates the transient striped phase being a bulk-like phase, which requires hydrogen bonds between the carboxylic acid moieties to be formed. With time, the striped phase transforms into the dense phase, which is explained by the deprotonation of the molecules. In the deprotonated state, the molecules can no longer form hydrogen bonds, but anchor to the surface calcium cations with their negatively charged carboxylate group. The deprotonation step is directly confirmed by Kelvin probe force microscopy images that unravel the change in the molecular charge.
DA  - 2012
DO  - 10.1021/nn3025942
KW  - deprotonation
KW  - insulating surface
KW  - noncontact atomic force microscopy
KW  - Kelvin probe force microscopy
LA  - eng
IS  - 8
M2  - 7406
PY  - 2012
SN  - 1936-0851
SP  - 7406-7411
T2  - ACS Nano
TI  - Direct Visualization of Molecule Deprotonation on an Insulating Surface
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0070-pub-29138129
Y2  - 2024-11-22T03:42:14
ER  -