The deposition of metallopeptide-based coordination polymers on graphite substrates:: Effects of side-chain functional groups and local surface structure

The surface dictates: The metallodipeptide complex [{Zn(Dpg-Tyr-O)} n]n+ (Dpg = dipicolylglycyl, Tyr = tyrosine) is a right-handed homochiral helical coordination polymer. Depending on the local structure of a pyrolytic graphite surface, it aggregates to form double-helical plaits (left) or two-dimensional assemblies of linearly stretched strands (right). The strands represent the first step in the formation of a three-dimensional crystal.