One-dimensional structures of three quinone molecules on Au(111)

Abstract

Quinone molecules form self-assembled structures in biological systems playing a key role in charge transport. Here, we report on the self-assembled chain structures of three quinone molecules, anthraquinone (AQ), naphthacenequinone (NQ), and pentacenequinone (PQ) on Au(111) studied using scanning tunneling microscopy. They all formed one-dimensional chain structures confined to herringbone structures of Au(111) at the low-coverage limit. The observed structures were explained with O center dot center dot center dot H hydrogen bonds, as revealed by our density functional theory calculations.