Switching the on-surface orientation of oxygen-functionalized helicene

Helicenes represent an important class of chiral organic material with promising optoelectronic properties. Hence, functionalization of surfaces with helicenes is a key step toward new organic materials devices. The deposition of a heterohelicene containing two furano groups and two hydroxyl groups onto copper(111) surface in ultrahigh vacuum leads to different adsorbate modifications. At low coverage and low temperature, the molecules tend to lie on the surface in order to maximize van der Waals contact with the substrate. Thermal treatment leads to deprotonation of the hydroxyl groups and in part into a reorientation from lying into a standing adsorbate mode.