Enhancing chemoselectivity of on-surface reactions on reconstructed Au(110): the case of a pentalene-bridged polyacene analogue

Polyacene analogues, consisting of short acene segments separated by nonbenzenoid rings, offer intriguing electronic properties and magnetic interactions. Pentalene-bridged polyacenes (PPs), in particular, hold promise for enhancing the electrical conductivity and potential open-shell ground states. However, PPs have remained elusive in solution chemistry due to poor solubility and limited synthetic protocols. In a recent publication,  we report the on-surface synthesis of PPs through the annulation between ortho-xylene groups. Scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy reveal that the reconstructed Au(110) surface significantly enhances the chemoselectivity of the annulation process. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy combined with density functional theory suggests that PP exhibits a narrow direct band gap, similar to long acenes. This work demonstrates the potential for band structure engineering in polyacene analogues by incorporating nonbenzenoid rings, paving the way to advancements in organic electronics and spintronics. This record contains computational data supporting the results discussed in the manuscript.