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Surface Chirality Influences Molecular Rotation upon Desorption.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Matysik, Sabine C 
Wales, David J 
Jenkins, Stephen J 

Abstract

Chiral surfaces offer great potential as a medium for enantioselective synthesis or separation, yet their dynamic enantiospecific interactions with adsorbates are not well understood. Here, the influence of chiral surfaces on the molecular rotations of desorbing molecules is investigated. Formic acid desorption from Cu{531} and Cu{110} serve as model systems for desorption processes of an achiral adsorbate from a chiral and an achiral surface. Our first-principles molecular dynamics study reveals a much larger and more directed angular momentum for molecules desorbing from the chiral surface and a clear preference for one sense of rotation. This result provides new insight into desorption and adsorption processes and propensities on chiral surfaces.

Description

Keywords

40 Engineering, 49 Mathematical Sciences, 51 Physical Sciences

Journal Title

Phys Rev Lett

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0031-9007
1079-7114

Volume Title

126

Publisher

American Physical Society (APS)

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
EPSRC (2112388)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/N035003/1)