Stable molecular helices unexpectedly unfold to ribbons on a planar metal surface under ultra-high vacuum. These ribbons self-assemble in regular two-dimensional islands.

Structural adaptations of electrosprayed aromatic oligoamide foldamers on Ag(111)
D. Meier, B. Schoof, J. Wang, X. Li, A. Walz, A. Huettig, H. Schlichting, F. Rosu, V. Gabelica, V. Maurizot, J. Reichert, A. C. Papageorgiou, I. Huc and J. V. Barth

Chem. Commun. (2022)

DOI: 10.1039/D2CC03286D