Controlling Charge Transport in Molecular Wires through Transannular π-π Interaction

This paper describes the influence of the transannular pi-pi interaction in controlling the carrier transport in molecular wires by employing the STM break junction technique. Five pentaphenylene-based molecular wires that contained [2.2]paracyclophane-1,9-dienes (PCD) as the building block were prepared as model compounds. Functional substituents with different electronic properties, ranging from strong acceptors to strong donors, were attached to the top parallel aromatic ring and used as a gate. It was found that the carrier transport features of these molecular wires, such as single-molecule conductance and a charge-tunneling barrier, can be systematically controlled through the transannular pi-pi interaction.

Automated summary

This paper investigates the influence of transannular pi-pi interaction on the carrier transport in molecular wires using the STM break junction technique. It is found that the carrier transport features of these molecular wires can be systematically controlled through the transannular pi-pi interaction.