Breaking a dative bond with mechanical forces.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34561452.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-25932-6 and PMC identifier 8463581.
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Abstract
Bond breaking and forming are essential components of chemical reactions. Recently, the structure and formation of covalent bonds in single molecules have been studied by non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM). Here, we report the details of a single dative bond breaking process using non-contact AFM. The dative bond between carbon monoxide and ferrous phthalocyanine was ruptured via mechanical forces applied by atomic force microscope tips; the process was quantitatively measured and characterized both experimentally and via quantum-based simulations. Our results show that the bond can be ruptured either by applying an attractive force of ~150 pN or by a repulsive force of ~220 pN with a significant contribution of shear forces, accompanied by changes of the spin state of the system. Our combined experimental and computational studies provide a deeper understanding of the chemical bond breaking process.