Surface-Confined Dynamic Covalent System Driven by Olefin Metathesis

Understanding how the constitutional dynamics of a dynamic combinatorial library (DCL) adapts to surfaces (compared to bulk solution) is of fundamental importance to the design of adaptive materials. Submolecular resolved scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) can provide detailed insights into olefin metathesis at the interface. Analysis of the distribution of products has revealed the important role of environmental pressure, reaction temperature, and substituent effects in surface-confined olefin metathesis. We also report an unprecedented preferred deposition and assembly of linear polymers, and some specific oligomers, on the surface that are hard to obtain otherwise.