Laterally Mounted Azobenzenes on Platforms

Triazatriangulenium ions have previously been used as platforms to prepare self-assembled monolayers of functional molecules such as azobenzenes with vertical orientation and that are free-standing on gold surfaces. We have now prepared azobenzenes that are spanned between two posts which are attached on two platforms. Absorbed on a gold surface, the azobenzene should be laterally oriented at a distance of more than 4 Å above and thus electronically decoupled from the surface, and the system should perform a muscle-type movement upon isomerization.