Electron driven processes in ices: Surface functionalization and synthesis reactions

The ability to control and orientate chemical reactivity in the condensed phase is a major challenge of modern research. Upon interaction with condensed molecules electrons drive bond cleavage thus generating a population of very reactive species in the condensed medium. These reactive species may interact either within the volume leading to the synthesis of new molecules or with the substrate surface by forming strong chemical bonds. The former reaction is known as electron induced synthesis and the latter one as electron induced surface functionalization.High-energy electrons achieve only a low chemical specificity due to the large number of dissociating open channels. In contrast, electrons with energies below ionization threshold of the irradiated matter are capable of high selectivity because of the dissociative electron attachment mechanism.In this review recent studies of electron interaction with condensed molecules on hydrogenated diamond substrates will be described. In particular electron induced functionalization of diamond surfaces by CH₂CN groups, decarboxylation reactions in condensed films of pure organic acids RCOOH (R = H, CH₃, C₂H₅, CF₃), carbamic acid formation in CO₂:NH₃, HCOOH:NH₃ and CF₃COOH:NH₃ binary ice mixtures, and glycine formation in a CH₃COOD:NH₃ mixture are presented and discussed.