Thermally-induced covalent coupling of cobalt porphyrin molecules on Au(111)

We investigated the thermally induced covalent coupling of cobalt porphyrin (CoP) molecules on an Au(111) surface using scanning tunnelling microscopy and first-principle calculations. While CoP molecules deposited at room temperature remain isolated due to electrostatic repulsion, annealing the substrate leads to their aggregation into chain-like structures with covalent bonding. Three distinct bonding motifs are identified, with calculations revealing weak magnetic coupling between theS=1/2Co ions. This work evidences a straightforward method for synthesising multinuclear complexes with magnetically coupled spins on surfaces, offering potential applications in molecular spintronics.