Surface Porphyrins Metalate with Zn Ions from Solution

M. FRANKE; F. MARCHINI; H-P STEINRUECK; O. LYTKEN; F. J. WILLIAMS

Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters

American Chemical Society

Lugar: Washington; Año: 2015 vol. 6 p. 4845 - 4849

Controlling the metalation of surface porphyrins is a critical process inporphyrin-based devices. Indeed, surface porphyrins are known to metalate in ultrahigh vacuum from codeposited metal atoms or substrate atoms; however, it is not yet known if surface porphyrins could metalate from ions in solution, that is, the most likely environment for porphyrin-based devices. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy we have studied the metalation of monolayers and multilayers of a free-base tetraphenyl porphyrin adsorbed on Au(111) with ions in solution. We found that full metalation with Zn2+ can be achieved already at room temperature in contrast with the elevated temperatures required for metalation with codeposited metal atoms.