Synthèse sur surface de phthalocyanines de Mg ayant des ligands optiquement actifs

The synthesis of novel organic prototypes combining different functionalities is key to achieve operational elements for applications in organic electronics. Here we set the stage towards individually addressable magneto-optical transducers by the on-surface synthesis of optically active manganese-phthalocyanine derivatives (MnPc) obtained directly on a metallic substrate. We created these 2D nanostructures under ultra-high vacuum conditions with atomic precision starting from a simple phthalonitrile precursor with reversible photo-induced reactivity in solution. These precursors maintain their integrity after powder sublimation and coordinate with the Mn ions into tetrameric complexes and then transform into MnPcs on Ag(111) after a cyclotetramerization reaction. Using scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy together with DFT calculations, we identify the isomeric configuration of two bi-stable structures and show that it is possible to switch them reversibly by mechanical manipulation. Moreover, the robust magnetic moment brought by the central Mn ion provides a feasible pathway towards magneto-optical transducer fabrication. This work should trigger further research confirming such magneto-optical effects in MnPcs both on surfaces and in liquid environments.
We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministries of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO, grants MAT2016-78293-C6-4-R and MAT2016-78293-C6-6) and of Science and Innovation (MICINN, grant no. PID2019-107338RB-C62, PID2019-107338RB-C64, PID2019-107338RB-C66/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and RED2018-102833-T), the regional Governments of Aragon (E13-20R and E12-20R), the Xunta de Galicia (Centro de Investigación de Galicia acreditation 2019–2022, ED431G 2019/03), the Dept. of Education of the Basque Government and UPV/EHU (grant no. IT1246-19), the Spanish Research Agency (AEI), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the program Interreg V-A España-Francia-Andorra (contract no. EFA194/16 TNSI) and the European Union through Horizon 2020 (FET-Open project SPRING grant. no. 863098).
We acknowledge support of the publication fee by the CSIC Open Access Publication Support Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI).