Publication Date:
2021-02-12
Description:
In Surface-Aligned-Reactions (SAR), the degrees of freedom of chemical reactions are restricted and therefore the reaction outcome is selected. Using the inherent corrugation of a Cu(110) substrate the adsorbate molecules can be positioned and aligned and the impact parameter, the collision miss-distance, can be chosen. Here, substitution reaction for a zero impact parameter collision gives an outcome which resembles the classic Newton’s cradle in which an incident mass ‘knocks-on’ the same mass in the collision partner, here F + CF3 → (CF3)′ + (F)′ at a copper surface. The mechanism of knock-on was shown by Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy to involve reversal of the CF3 umbrella as in Walden inversion, with ejection of (F)′ product along the continuation of the F-reagent direction of motion, in collinear reaction.
Electronic ISSN:
2399-3669
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
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