Single-walled carbon nanotube absolute-handedness chirality assignment confirmation using metalized porphyrin's supramolecular structures via STM imaging technique.

This work reports confirmation of the experimental assignment of the absolute-handedness chirality of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). This was achieved by applying the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging technique to a supramolecular composite consisting of a metalized porphyrin derivative (nickel-5,15-bisdodecylporphyrin [Ni-BDP]) affixed to the surfaces of chiral-concentrated SWNTs (with right-handed helix P- and left-handed helix M-). On the basis of the handedness chirality, different chiral supramolecular structures of Ni-BDP were observed on the surfaces of the two SWNT enantiomers. The incorporation of a metal center into the porphyrin ring did not significantly affect the SWNT absolute-handedness chirality assignment, the large pi-system porphyrin ring being the crucial factor. These findings will effectively pave the way towards the clear selective synthesis, separation, chemistry, and applications of SWNT enantiomers.