Chemoselective photochemical surface reaction - Ketene versus carbene reactivity from the photolysis of saturated monolayers of pyridyl diazoesters on single-crystal Pt

Irradiation of saturated monolayers of 3- and 4-substituted pyridyl diazoacetates on single-crystal Pt surfaces leads to either the corresponding reactive carbene or stable ketene intermediate with the chemoselectivity determined by the position of the photoreactive substituent on the pyridyl ring, which ultimately directs the available interactions with neighboring substrates.