Single-Molecule Chemistry and Analysis: Mode-Specific Dehydrogenation of Adsorbed Propene by Inelastic Electron Tunneling

A single propene molecule, located in the junction between the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and a Cu(211) surface can be dehydrogenated by inelastic electron tunneling. This reaction requires excitation of the asymmetric C-H stretching vibration of the =CH2 group. The product is then identified by inelastic electron tunneling action spectroscopy (IETAS).