Energetics of Chiral Imprinting of Cu(100) by Lysine

Temperature-programmed desorption experiments have been used to probe the adsorption energetics of d- and l-lysine on the chiral Cu(3,1,17)R&S and achiral Cu(100) surfaces. Previous literature has reported the reconstruction of Cu(100) surfaces to form homochiral (3,1,17)R facets upon adsorption of l-lysine at high coverage and after annealing to 430 K (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 122, 2000, 12584). The implication of that work is that the adsorption energy of l-lysine on Cu(3,1,17)R is greater than on Cu(3,1,17)S and Cu(100), thereby driving the homochiral reconstruction. The results of temperature-programmed desorption measurements test and support this implication. The desorption energies of d- and l-lysine on the Cu(100) surface are significantly lower than those on either of the Cu(3,1,17)R&S surfaces. Furthermore, large enantiospecific differences in desorption kinetics were observed for d- and l-lysine on the Cu(3,1,17)R&S surfaces. This observed enantiospecificity is believed to originate from the enantiosp...