Date of Award

2016

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Chemistry

Abstract

This dissertation demonstrates the application of SAMs to the surface of acene crystals, specifically of tetracene and rubrene, using the Diels-Alder reaction. The second chapter details preliminary reaction results and two analytical methods which were employed to confirm adsorption of the dienophile on the surface of single crystals, tetracene and rubrene. These were mass spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Mass spectrometry experiments distinguish the chemical identity of adduct on the crystals and also it discerned chemi- and physisorbed molecules from one another. XPS was used to prove face selectivity of the reaction by the detection of dichloromaleic anhydride. From a mechanistic standpoint, this system demonstrated unusual steric effects: the reaction of one face of the tetracene crystal was virtually inert, while another face was facile. The dienophiles’ steric bulk was also expected to play critical role for these confined systems, however analysis of surface data was hindered by the relative lack of corresponding solution kinetic data. While the rate of anthracene’s reaction has been studied extensively with a range of dienophiles and tetracene/pentacene has been studied theoretically (with limited experimental reports), an expansive report was generated to aid in future interpretations of acene systems. These kinetic results constitute chapter three.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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