Final Report Summary - DIPOLAR ROTOR ARRAY (Regular Arrays of Artificial Surface-Mounted Dipolar Molecular Rotors.)
There is enough inherent flexibility in both types of dipolar rotor arrays that the unfavorable electrostatic interactions associated with the trigonal arrangement of the rotor dipoles cause a distortion of the lattice from hexagonal to lower symmetry, and this leads to an interesting antiferroelectric rather than a potentially even more interesting ferroelectric interaction. Both types of regular arrays are of considerable importance for fundamental physical studies of two-dimensional collective behavior of dipolar rotors. Theoretical insight into rotor motion, especially friction, was obtained from computer simulations. A possible practical use of the rotor arrays still lies in the more distant future.
In addition, we have made some unexpected discoveries that appear worth further pursuit. In particular, a new easy way of attaching alkyl residues to gold surfaces by direct C-Au bonds using main group element organometallics (Hg, Sn, Ge) has been described and its scope established. This discovery has been protected by a patent and could have an immediate technological impact.