Heteroatomic Organometallic Molecular Wires

The market demand for miniaturisation of electronic circuitry calls for ever smaller components, the ultimate limit being a molecular wire: Two or more metal atoms joined by a linear conducting chain of carbon atoms. Incorporating main-group elements (e.g., boron, phosphorus, selenium) within these chains promises a means of achieving orthogonal junctions with unprecedented opportunities for varying electro-optical properties (switching, sensing, data storage applications) by virtue of responsive changes in geometry and coordination number at the main group element junction. The proposed research addresses the synthetic challenge of designing strategies for the modular construction of unprecedented heteroatomic molecular wires.