STM investigation of flexible supramolecules: Benzylic amide [2] catenanes

Benzylic amide [2] catenane (CATI) deposited from a methanol solution onto highly oriented pyrolitic; graphite (HOPG) has been investigated by ambient scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Submolecular features are resolved wh ich suggest that the adsorption of CAT1 is driven by the electrostatic attr action of carbonyl groups and HOPG. Our evidence shows that CATI is mobile at RT on HOPG surface. A statistical analysis of the observed features reve als a bimodal distribution of the lateral size which correlates with the ex pected diameter of a single macrocycle and the catenane respectively.