Communication: Substrate induced dehydrogenation: transformation of octa-ethyl-porphyrin into tetra-benzo-porphyrin

J Chem Phys. 2013 Jun 7;138(21):211102. doi: 10.1063/1.4810879.

Abstract

Individual molecules of octa-ethyl-porhphyrin-iron(III)-chloride adsorbed on a Cu(111) surface are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. Upon moderate heating the molecules are found to transform into Fe-tetra-benzo-porphyrin at a surprisingly low temperature of 380 K. If the annealing is interrupted, the different steps of the transformation can be imaged. By evaluating the ratio of transformed molecules as function of annealing temperature, an approximate activation energy of 1.2 eV ± 0.1 eV could be determined.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chlorides / chemistry*
  • Ferric Compounds / chemistry*
  • Hydrogenation
  • Metalloporphyrins / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling
  • Molecular Structure
  • Porphyrins / chemistry*
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Chlorides
  • Ferric Compounds
  • Metalloporphyrins
  • Porphyrins
  • ferric chloride