Solution Versus On-Surface Synthesis of Peripherally Oxygen-Annulated Porphyrins through C-O Bond Formation.

This study investigates the synthesis of tetra- and octa-O-fused porphyrinoids employing an oxidative O-annulation approach through C-H activation. Despite encountering challenges such as overoxidation and instability in conventional solution protocols, successful synthesis was achieved on Au(111) surfaces under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, and non-contact atomic force microscopy elucidated the preferential formation of pyran moieties via C-O bond formation and subsequent self-assembly driven by C-H⋅⋅⋅O interactions.

Formation of an Extended Quantum Dot Array Driven and Autoprotected by an Atom-Thick -BN Layer.

Engineering quantum phenomena of two-dimensional nearly free electron states has been at the forefront of nanoscience studies ever since the first creation of a quantum corral. Common strategies to fabricate confining nanoarchitectures rely on manipulation or on applying supramolecular chemistry principles. The resulting nanostructures do not protect the engineered electronic states against external influences, hampering the potential for future applications.