A single-molecule blueprint for synthesis

This Review describes recent work where scanning probe techniques are used to effect the formation and cleavage of chemical bonds. We contextualize this progress in terms of single-molecule manipulation and summarize implications for synthetic chemistry and future studies. Chemical reactions that occur at nanostructured electrodes have garnered widespread interest because of their potential applications in fields including nanotechnology, green chemistry and fundamental physical organic chemistry. Much of our present understanding of these reactions comes from probes that interrogate ensembles of molecules undergoing various stages of the transformation concurrently. Exquisite control over single-molecule reactivity lets us construct new molecules and further our understanding of nanoscale chemical phenomena. We can study single molecules using instruments such as the scanning tunnelling microscope, which can additionally be part of a mechanically controlled break junction. These are unique tools that can offer a high level of detail. They probe the electronic conductance of individual molecules and catalyse chemical reactions by establishing environments with reactive metal sites on nanoscale electrodes. This Review describes how chemical reactions involving bond cleavage and formation can be triggered at nanoscale electrodes and studied one molecule at a time.

Automated summary

This Review discusses recent advancements in utilizing scanning probe techniques for chemical bond formation and cleavage at nanoscale electrodes, emphasizing the implications for synthetic chemistry and future research.