High-Density Modification of H‑Terminated Si(111) Surfaces Using Short-Chain Alkynes

Abstract

H–Si­(111)-terminated surfaces were alkenylated via two routes: through a novel one-step gas-phase hydrosilylation reaction with short alkynes (C₃ to C₆) and for comparison via a two-step chlorination and Grignard alkenylation process. All modified surfaces were characterized by static water contact angles and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Propenyl- and butenyl-coated Si(111) surfaces display a significantly higher packing density than conventional C₁₀–C₁₈ alkyne-derived monolayers, showing the potential of this approach. In addition, propyne chemisorption proceeds via either of two approaches: the standard hydrosilylation at the terminal carbon (<i>lin</i>) at temperatures above 90 °C and an unprecedented reaction at the second carbon (<i>iso</i>) at temperatures below 90 °C. Molecular modeling revealed that the packing energy of a monolayer bonded at the second carbon is significantly more favorable, which drives <i>iso</i>-attachment, with a dense packing of surface-bound <i>iso</i>-propenyl chains at 40% surface coverage, in line with the experiments at <90 °C. The highest density monolayers are obtained at 130 °C and show a linear attachment of 1-propenyl chains with 92% surface coverage