Construction of 2D nanoporous networks by coupling on-surface dynamic imine chemistry and dipole-stabilized self-assembly.

Double-walled nanoporous networks based on the Schiff base reaction of nonplanar tripodic building blocks and subsequent dipole-directed self-assembly were fabricated on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) at the gas-solid interface. This is the first example of nonplanar molecules exploited as precursors for a surface reaction.