The electrodeposition of AuBr4
– and
PtBr4
2– onto an adlayer of circobiphenyla
structurally defined nanographene with low symmetryon a Au(111)
electrode was investigated via electrochemical scanning tunneling
microscopy (EC-STM) to control and understand the formation of characteristic
nanoclusters. By immersing a circobiphenyl-coated Au(111) substrate
in a 0.1 mM aqueous AuBr4
– solution,
AuBr4
– was spontaneously reduced, and
a characteristic mixed adlayer consisting of circobiphenyl molecules
and Br– ions with monatomic Au islands was produced
on the Au(111) surface. A similar electrodeposition process was performed
in an aqueous solution of PtBr4
2–, and
an identical mixed adlayer was obtained with Pt nanoclusters. The
electrodeposition of Au and Pt complexes was facilitated by the “negatively
charged” reconstructed Au(111) surface, which is stabilized
by the formation of a highly ordered circobiphenyl adlayer. EC-STM
revealed the formation of characteristic dimers of Pt clusters ranging
2–4 nm in diameter on the circobiphenyl adlayer. Thus, Br– metal complexes were found to play an important role
in controlling the structure and size of a mixed adlayer containing
Br– and the shape of Pt clusters.