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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Layer-by-layer Synthesis and Transfer of Freestanding Conjugated Microporous Polymer Nanomembranes
Published on: December 15, 2015
Chemical reactions with upright monolayers of cruciform pi-systems
Jennifer E Klare1, George S Tulevski, Colin Nuckolls
1Department of Chemistry and The Nanoscience Center, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.
Abstract:
The study below details the synthesis and self-assembly of new cruciform pi-systems and their in situ chemical reactions in monolayer films. Analysis of the packing in the crystal structure of one of these unusually shaped molecules reveals that the terphenyl arm, which is twisted out of conjugation, makes edge-to-face contact with neighboring molecules aligning the conjugated bisoxazole arms in rows. In self-assembled monolayers on metal surfaces, these cruciform pi-systems present reactive groups at the film/air interface. Films that present aldehyde functionality react with aromatic anilines to give surface-bound imines. Dimers that are >4.5 nm in length and contain a conjugated imine linkage can be made in situ on gold substrates through this strategy.
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