On‐Surface Synthesis of Polyphenylene Wires Comprising Rigid Aliphatic Bicyclo[1.1.1]Pentane Isolator Units

Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP) motifs are of growing importance to the pharmaceutical industry as sp3-rich bioisosteres benzene rings and molecular building blocks in materials science. Herein we explore behavior 1,3-disubstituted BCP moieties on metal surfaces by combining low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy / non-contact atomic force studies with density functional theory modeling. We examine configuration individual BCP-containing precursors Au(111), their supramolecular assembly thermally activated dehalogenative coupling reactions, affording polymeric chains incorporated electronically isolating units. Our not only provide first sub-molecular insights scaffold surfaces, but also extend potential application derivatives towards integration custom-designed surface architectures.