Monolayer films prepared by the spontaneous self-assembly of symmetrical and unsymmetrical dialkyl sulfides from solution onto gold substrates: Structure, properties, and reactivity of constituent functional groups.

Exposure of evaporated gold films supported on silicon wafers to solutions of dialkyl sulfides or alkyl thiols in methanol or ethanol results in rapid formation of a monolayer of the organosulfur compound adsorbed onto the gold. The resulting films have been characterized using a number of techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), infrared spectroscopy (IRS), ellipsometry, and wetting.