Direct transformation of <i>n</i>-alkane into all-<i>trans</i> conjugated polyene via cascade dehydrogenation

Abstract

Selective C(sp³) -H activation is of fundamental importance in processing alkane feedstocks to produce high-value-added chemical products. By virtue of an on-surface synthesis strategy, we report selective cascade dehydrogenation of <i>n</i>-alkane molecules under surface constraints, which yields monodispersed all-<i>trans</i> conjugated polyenes with unprecedented length controllability. We are also able to demonstrate the generality of this concept for alkyl-substituted molecules with programmable lengths and diverse functionalities, and more importantly its promising potential in molecular wiring.