The role of symmetry in single-molecule junctions

Leading you on: The symmetry of a single-molecule junction has a strong influence on its conductance. A recent study reporting on the conductance characteristics of differently thiol- anchored naphthalenes demonstrates that the frontier molecular orbitals lead to symmetry-forbidden or symmetry- allowed electron paths (see picture). Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.