Tailored Formation of N-Doped Nanoarchitectures by Diffusion-Controlled on-Surface (Cyclo)-Dehydrogenation of Heteroaromatics

Surface-assisted cyclodehydrogenation and dehydrogenative polymerization of polycyclic (hetero)aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are among the most important strategies for bottom-up assembly of new nanostructures from their molecular building blocks. Although diverse compounds have been formed in recent years using this methodology, a limited knowledge on the molecular machinery operating at the nanoscale has prevented a rational control of the reaction outcome. We show that the strength of the PAH-substrate interaction rules the competitive reaction pathways (cyclodehydrogenation versus dehydrogenative polymerization). By controlling the diffusion of N-heteroaromatic precursors, the on-surface dehydrogenation can lead to monomolecular triazafullerenes and diazahexabenzocoronenes (N-doped nanographene), to N-doped oligomeric or polymeric networks, or to carbonaceous monolayers. Governing the on-surface dehydrogenation process is a step forward toward the tailored fabrication of molecular 2D nanoarchitectures distinct from graphene and exhibiting new properties of fundamental and technological interest.