On‐Surface Evolution of meso‐Isomerism in Two‐Dimensional Supramolecular Assemblies

Chiral structures created through the adsorption of molecules onto achiral surfaces play pivotal roles in many fields of science and engineering. Here, we present a systematic study of a novel chiral phenomenon on a surface in terms of organizational chirality, that is, meso‐isomerism, through coverage‐driven hierarchical polymorphic transitions of supramolecular assemblies of highly symmetric π‐conjugated molecules. Four coverage‐dependent phases of dehydrobenzo[12]annulene were uniformly fabricated on Ag(111), exhibiting unique chiral characteristics from the single‐molecule level to two‐dimensional supramolecular assemblies. All coverage‐driven phase transitions stem from adsorption‐induced pseudo‐diastereomerism, and our observation of a lemniscate‐type (∞) supramolecular configuration clearly reveals a drastic chiral phase transition from an enantiomeric chiral domain to a meso‐isomeric achiral domain. These findings provide new insights into controlling two‐dimensional chiral architectures on surfaces. Chirality in two dimensions: The formation of meso‐isomerism on surfaces through coverage‐driven hierarchical polymorphic transitions of supramolecular assemblies of highly symmetric π‐conjugated molecules is reported. Four coverage‐dependent phases of dehydrobenzo[12]annulene were uniformly fabricated on Ag(111) and exhibit unique chiral characteristics from the single‐molecule level to two‐dimensional supramolecular assemblies.