Speaker
Description
Molecules as well as their assemblies and reactions have been widely investigated on single-crystal metal samples, which represent a defined flat support for efficient diffusion and high-resolution imaging by scanning probe microscopy (STM). However, the interaction between the metal and the molecule can alter the intrinsic properties of the molecules, making a decoupling layer essential to understand the pristine molecular properties. Graphene, with its two-dimensional structure and weak interaction with adsorbates, serves as an excellent decoupling layer for molecules. The reduced molecule-metal interaction allows the molecules to retain their intrinsic electronic features while still sensing the underlying metal, which influences adsorption energy and selective interactions. In this study, we used two surfaces as substrate for graphene growth: Cu(111) and Pt(111). The latter results in a Moiré pattern, enabling tuning of electronic decoupling and adsorption‑site selectivity. Our focus is on chemical reactions of porphyrin derivatives on the graphene layer, thus at a distance from the metal catalysts.