Formation and photooxidation of n-dodecanethiol self-assembled monolayers on Au(111): ‘pits’ formed during chemisorption disappear upon oxidation

Abstract

UV photolysis in air of self-assembled n-dodecanethiol monolayers (SAMs) on Au(111) quantitatively oxidizes the adsorbed thiol to its corresponding sulfonate and completely destroys the ordered structure of the SAM without exposing the underlying gold surface; STM images indicate that the etch pits which appear to form during chemisorption of the thiol are lost when the thiol is oxidized.