From One‐Dimensional Disordered Racemate to Ordered Racemic Conglomerates through Metal‐Coordination‐Driven Self‐Assembly at the Liquid‐Solid Interface

Abstract

AbstractIn recent years, there has been significant focus on investigating and controlling chiral self‐assembly, specifically in the context of enantiomeric separation. This study explores the self‐assembly behavior of 4‐dodecyl‐3,6‐di(2‐pyridyl)pyridazine (DPP−C12) at the interface between heptanoic acid (HA) and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and multiscale molecular modeling. The self‐assembled monolayer structure formed by DPP−C12 is periodic in one direction, but aperiodic in the direction orthogonal to it. These structures resemble 1D disordered racemic compounds. Upon introducing palladium [Pd(II)] ions, complexing with DPP−C12, these 1D disordered racemic compounds spontaneously transform into 2D racemic conglomerates, which is rationalized with the assistance of force‐field simulations. Our findings provide insights into the regulation of two‐dimensional chirality.