Reactive intermediates are involved in most chemical transformations. However, their characterization is a great challenge because of their short lifetime and high reactivity. Arynes are prominent reactive intermediates, formally derived from arenes by removal of two hydrogen atoms from adjacent carbon atoms. Their rich chemistry enables widespread use in synthetic chemistry, as they are privileged building blocks for the construction of polycyclic compounds containing aromatic rings. Here, we demonstrate generation and characterization of individual polycyclic aryne molecules on an ultra-thin insulating film by means of low-temperature scanning tunneling and atomic force microscopy. In addition, our results provide important insights into the chemistry of these elusive intermediates and its potential application in the field of on-surface synthesis.
By: Niko Pavlicek, Bruno Schuler, Sara Collazos, Nikolaj Moll, Dolores Perez, Enrique Guitian, Gerhard Meyer, Diego Pena, Leo Gross
Published in: RZ3899 in 2015
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