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Tailoring π-conjugation and vibrational modes to steer on-surface synthesis of pentalene-bridged ladder polymers

The development of synthetic strategies to engineer π-conjugated polymers is of paramount importance in modern chemistry and materials science. Here we introduce a theoretical and experimental synthetic paradigm based on the search for specific vibrational modes through an appropriate tailoring of the π-conjugation of the precursors, in order to increase the attempt frequency of a chemical reaction. First, we on-surface design a 1D π-conjugated polymer with specific π-topology, which is based on bisanthene monomers linked by cumulene bridges that tune specific vibrational modes. In a second step, upon further annealing, such vibrational modes steer the two-fold cyclization reaction between adjacent bisanthene moieties, which gives rise to a long and free-defect pentalene-bridged conjugated ladder polymer featuring a low band gap. In addition, high resolution atomic force microscopy allows us to identify by atomistic insights the resonant form of the polymer, thus confirming the validity of the Glidewell and Lloyd's rules for aromaticity. This on-surface synthetic strategy may stimulate exploiting previously precluded reactions towards novel pi-conjugated polymers with specific structures and properties.