In this work, the adsorption and orientation on gold nanoparticles (AuNps) of a new family of cruciform systems consisting of thiophene rings and imino groups were studied. The structural modification and its influence on the adsorbate‐substrate interaction were evaluated by UV–Vis spectroscopy and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). The absence of SERS spectrum for (N,N′‐bis(4‐(trifluoromethyl)benzylidene)‐2,5‐di (thiophene‐2‐yl)‐1,4‐diaminobenzene) CFF shows that the inclusion of a trifluoromethyl group (‐CF3) on the benzylidene fragment limits the interaction of the CFF system with the gold substrate, in contrast, to that obtained for (N, N′‐dibenzylidene‐2,5‐di (thiophene‐2‐yl) ‐1,4‐diaminobenzene) 2‐CF and (N, N′‐bis (4‐methoxybenzylidene) ‐2,5‐di (thiophene‐2yl) ‐1,4‐diaminobenzene) CMF, where the adsorption took place preferentially through the thiophene rings, resulting in partial quinoidization. On the other hand, the interaction for compound (N, N′‐bis (4‐methylenepyridinyl) ‐2,5‐di (thiophene‐2‐yl) ‐1,4‐diaminobenzene) CPy with the surface was conducted by means of the pyridinic fragments. The systematic modification of the bifunctional cruciform systems, with groups of different nature, makes it possible to rationalize the structural aspects that directly influence the adsorbate‐substrate interaction and molecular orientation on gold substrates. These structural parameters are the basis to the development of stable molecular assemblies, which can act as basic building blocks in the manufacture of molecular switches.
Electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of the cruciform system 1,4-bis((E)-2-(pyridin-4-yl)vinyl)naphthalene (bpyvn) was recorded on nanostructured silver surfaces at different electrode potentials by using excitation laser lines of 785 and 514.5 nm. SERS relative intensities were analyzed on the basis of the resonance Raman vibronic theory with the help of DFT calculations. The comparison between the experimental and the computed resonance Raman spectra calculated for the first five electronic states of the Ag2-bpyvn surface complex model points out that the selective enhancement of the SERS band recorded at about 1600 cm−1, under 785 nm excitation, is due to a resonant Raman process involving a photoexcited metal-to-molecule charge transfer state of the complex, while the enhancement of the 1570 cm−1 band using 514.5 nm excitation is due to an intramolecular π→π* electronic transition localized in the naphthalenyl framework, resulting in a case of surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectrum (SERRS). Thus, the enhancement of the SERS bands of bpyvn is controlled by a general chemical enhancement mechanism in which different resonance processes of the overall electronic structure of the metal-molecule system are involved.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.