Converting n-Alkanol to Conjugated Polyenal on Cu(110) Surface at Mild Temperature

Achieving C(sp³)-H activation at a mild temperature is of great importance from both scientific and technologic points of view. Herein, on the basis of the on-surface synthesis strategy, we report the significant reduction of the C(sp³)-H activation barrier, which results in the full C(sp³)-H to C(sp²)-H transformation of n-alkanol (octacosan-1-ol) at a mild temperature as low as 350 K on the Cu(110) surface, yielding the conjugated polyenal (octacosa-tridecaenal) as the final product. The reaction mechanism is revealed by the combined scanning tunneling microscope, density functional theory, and synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy.