From Short‐ to Long‐Range Chiral Recognition on Surfaces: Chiral Assembly and Synthesis

Research on chiral behaviors of small organic molecules at solid surfaces, including chiral assembly and synthesis, can not only help unravel the origin of the chiral phenomenon in biological/chemical systems but also provide promising strategies to build up unprecedented chiral surfaces or nanoarchitectures with advanced applications in novel nanomaterials/nanodevices. Understanding how molecular chirality is recognized is considered to be a mandatory basis for such studies. In this review, a series of recent studies in chiral assembly and synthesis at well‐defined metal surfaces under ultra‐high vacuum conditions are outlined. More importantly, the intrinsic mechanisms of chiral recognition are highlighted, including short/long‐range chiral recognition in chiral assembly and two main strategies to steer the reaction pathways and modulate selective synthesis of specific chiral products on surfaces. In this review, a series of recent advances in chiral assembly and synthesis at well‐defined metal surfaces under ultra‐high vacuum conditions are outlined. Most importantly, their potential mechanisms are highlighted, including short‐ and long‐range chiral recognition. These studies will provide significant guidance for the design and buildup of desired chiral nanostructures and nanomaterials.