Chiral Recognition: A Spin-Driven Process in Chiral Oligothiophene. A Chiral-Induced Spin Selectivity (CISS) Effect Manifestation

In this paper it is experimentally demonstrated that the electron-spin/molecular-handedness interaction plays a fundamental role in the chiral recognition process. This conclusion is inferred comparing current versus potential (I–V) curves recorded using chiral electrode surfaces, which are obtained via chemisorption of an enantiopure thiophene derivative: 3,3′-bibenzothiophene core functionalized with 2,2′-bithiophene wings (BT₂T₄). The chiral recognition capability of these chiral-electrodes is probed via cyclic voltammetry measurements, where, Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) capped with enantiopure BT₂T₄ (BT₂T₄@AgNP) are used as the chiral redox probe. Then, the interface handedness is explored by recording spin-polarized I–V curves in spin-dependent electrochemistry (SDE) and magnetic-conductive atomic force microscopy (mc-AFM) experiments. The quality of the interfaces is thoroughly cross-checked using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, Raman, electrodesorption measurements, which further substantiate the metal(electrode)-sulfur(thiophene) central role in the chemisorption process. Spin-polarization values of about 15% and 30% are obtained in the case of SDE and mc-AFM experiments, respectively.