Growth and characterization of benzylic amide [2]catenane thin films

We report here the first results on the thin-film growth of benzylic amide catenanes. The films were deposited onto gold single crystals by two different methods: by sublimation under ultra-high vacuum and by dipping of the substrate into a solution of the catenane. Sublimation yielded well-ordered films (domain diameter similar to 100 Angstrom) while dipping produced disordered films. The vibrational and electronic properties of these films were investigated by high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) as a function of film thickness. The vibrational spectra indicate that the first layer of catenanes is chemisorbed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.