From metal-nucleobase chemistry towards molecular wires

This manuscript is a short account on the recent research developed in our Nanochemistry group. Our initial research in the field of metal-nucleobase chemistry, in Prof. B. Lippert's laboratory, subsequently evolved towards exploring feasible candidates to DNA based molecular wires and progressed in our current investigation in 1D coordination polymers with short metal-metal distances comprising nucleobases as terminal or bridging ligands. The selection of 1D coordination polymers is understood as a structural simplification of the new form of DNA named M-DNA. Several aspects concerning the systematic search of new adsorption methods for coordination polymers on surfaces and their morphological and physical characterization as well as the use of computational methods as a tool for the design of suitable molecular wires are described. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.