https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2005-00151-4
Trapping of V(benzene)2 sandwich clusters in a n-alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer matrix
1
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio
University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, 223-8522 Yokohama, Japan
2
CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), c/o Department of
Chemistry, Keio University, 223-8522 Yokohama, Japan
Corresponding author: a nakajima@chem.keio.ac.jp
Received:
6
September
2004
Published online:
13
July
2005
V(benzene)2 sandwich cluster cations produced in the gas phase
were size-selectively deposited onto a self-assembled monolayer of
n-hexadecanethiols (HDT-SAM) chemisorbed on a Au(111) surface as well as onto
a bare Au(111) surface. The thermal chemistry of the neutralized clusters on
each substrate was studied with temperature programmed desorption (TPD).
From the analyses of the threshold in the TPD, the desorption
activation energies of the clusters deposited were determined to be 
kJ/mol for the Au(111) and 
kJ/mol for the HDT-SAM.
The remarkably large desorption activation energy from the SAM suggests that
the deposited clusters are incorporated into the SAM matrix and
firmly trapped inside the alkyl chains of the SAM.
PACS: 36.40.Qv – Stability and fragmentation of clusters
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2005
