Dr. Tibor Kudernac

Carré 4236

+31 53 489 2933

Tibor Kudernac studied organic chemistry at the P. J. Safarik University, Slovakia. His master project involved the synthesis of natural compounds with an emphasis on stereoselective sigmatropic rearrangements. He obtained his Ph.D. in 2007 from the University of Groningen with a thesis on “Light-controlled conductance using molecular switches” under the joint supervision of Prof. Ben L. Feringa and Prof. Bart J. van Wees. Tibor then joined the group of Prof. S. De Feyter (KU Leuven), to investigate molecular self-assembly at liquid/solid interfaces in collaboration with Prof. Klaus Müllen (Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research) and Prof. Sigurd Höger (University of Bonn). In 2009 he returned to the University of Groningen to work with Prof. Feringa on the development of self-propelled molecules. In 2010 he joined the group of Prof. Karl-Heinz Ernst at EMPA (ETH-Domain, Switzerland), for a short stay. In April 2011, he joined the Molecular Nanofabrication group of Prof. Juriaan Huskens at the University of Twente and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology. Tibor was awarded a VENI grant from the Dutch National Science Foundation (NWO).

Tibor’s research ambition is to explore the effects of nanoscale confinement on molecular reactivity. This research constitutes a solid basis for developing new approaches towards the synthesis of nanostructured materials. In particular, Tibor is currently developing molecular networks of tunable nanoreactors that control and localize chemical transformations with nanoscale precision.

Publications

L. F. Dössel, V. Kamm, I. A. Howard, F. Laquai, W. Pisula, X. Feng, C. Li, M. Takase, T. Kudernac, S. De Feyter, K. Müllen. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 5876-5886. Synthesis and controlled self-assembly of covalently linked hexaperi- hexabenzocoronene/perylene diimide dyads as models to study fundamental energy and electron transfer processes.

Ø	Arramel, T. C. Pijper, T. Kudernac, N. Katsonis, M. van der Maas, B. L. Feringa, B. J. van Wees. *J. Appl. Phys. 2012, 111, 083716. Electronic properties of individual diarylethene molecules studied using scanning tunneling spectroscopy.*

Ø	T. Kudernac, N. Ruangsupapichat, M. Parschau, B. Macia, N. Katsonis, S. R. Harutyunyan, K.-H. Ernst, B. L. Feringa. *Nature* 2011, 479, 208-211 (and cover page). Electrically driven directional motion of a four-wheeled molecule on a metal surface.

Highlighted in News & Views of the Nature issue and in Nature Chem. 2011, 3, 907; Nature Nanotech. 2011, 6, 756; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 4277-4278; Chem. Eng. News 2011, 89, 7. Selected as a “cutting edge chemistry” paper in 2011 by Chemistry World 2012, 9, 36.

Ø	T. Kudernac, N. Shabelina, W. Mamdouh, S. Höger, S. De Feyter. *Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 674–680. STM visualisation of counterions and the effect of charges on self-assembled monolayers of macrocycles.*

Ø	D. Mossinger, D. Chaudhuri, T. Kudernac, S.Lei, S. De Feyter, J. M. Lupton, S. Hoger. *J. Am. Chem. Soc.* 2010, 132, 1410-1423. Large All-Hydrocarbon Spoked Wheels of High Symmetry: Modular Synthesis, Photophysical Properties, and Surface Assembly.

Ø	T. Kudernac, N. Saendig, T. Fernández Landaluce, N. Katsonis, B. J. van Wees, P. Rudolf, F. Zerbetto, B. L. Feringa. *J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 15655-15659. Intermolecular repulsion through interfacial attraction: polymorphism in self-assembled monolayers*.

Ø	X. Feng, W. Pisula, T. Kudernac, D. Wu, L. Zhi, H. Nok Tsao, S. De Feyter, K. Müllen. *J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 4439-4448. Controlled* Self-assembly of C3-symmetric Discotic Nanographenes with Alternating Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Substituents.

Ø	T. Kudernac, S. -B. Lei, J. A. A. W. Elemans, S. De Feyter. **Chem. Soc. Rev. 2009*, 38, 402-421. Two-dimensional supramolecular self-assembly: nanoporous networks on surfaces.*

Ø	Cnossen, D. Pijper, T. Kudernac, M. M. Pollard, B. L. Feringa. *Chem. Eur. J.* 2009, 15, 2768-2772. A trimer of accelerated nanomotors forming a self-assembled monolayer on a surface.

Ø	T. Kudernac, N. Katsonis, W. R. Browne, B. L. Feringa. *J. Mater. Chem. 2009, 19, 7168-7177. Nano-electronic switches: Light-induced switching of conductance in molecular systems*. (Highlight)

Ø	S. J. van der Molen, J. Liao, T. Kudernac, L. Bernard, M. Calame, B. J. van Wees, B. L. Feringa, C. Schönenberger. *Nano Letters* 2009, 9, 76-80. Light-Controlled Conductance Switching of Ordered Metal-Molecule-Metal Devices.

Ø	J. Areephong, T. Kudernac, J. J. D. de Jong, G. T. Carroll, D. Pantorotta, J. Hjelm, W. R. Browne, B. L. Feringa. *J. Am. Chem. Soc.* 2008, 130, 12850-12851. On/Off Photoswitching of the Electropolymerizability of Terthiophenes.

Ø	J. Kronemeijer, H. B. Akkerman, T. Kudernac, B. J. van Wees, B. L. Feringa, P. W. M. Blom, B. de Boer. *Adv.* **Mater. 2008*, 20, 1467-1473 (and cover page). Reversible Conductance Switching in Molecular Devices*.

Ø	W. R. Browne, T. Kudernac, N. Katsonis, J. Areephong, J. Hjelm, B. L. Feringa. *J. Phys. Chem. C* 2008, 122, 1183-1190. Electro- and photochemical switching of dithienylethene self-assembled monolayers on gold electrodes.

Ø	N. Katsonis, A. Minoia, T. Kudernac, T. Mutai, H. Xu, H. Uji-i, R. Lazzaroni, S. De Feyter, B. L. Feringa. *J. Am. Chem. Soc.* 2008, 130, 386-387. Locking of Helicity and Shape Complementarity in Diarylethene Dimers on Graphite.

N. Katsonis, H. Xu, R. M. Haak, T. Kudernac, Ž. Tomović, S. George, M. Van der Auweraer, A. P. H. J. Schenning, E. W. Meijer, B. L. Feringa, S. De Feyter. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 4997-5001. Emerging solvent-induced homochirality by the confinement of achiral molecules against a solid surface.

Ø	D. Dulic, T. Kudernac, A Pugzlys, B. L. Feringa, B. J. van Wees. Adv. Mater. 2007, 19, 2898-2902. Temperature gating of the ring-opening process in diarylethene molecular switches.* *shared first authorship.

Ø	N. Katsonis, J. Vicario, T. Kudernac, J. Visser, M. M. Pollard, B. L. Feringa, *J. Am. Chem. Soc.* 2006, 128, 15537-15541. Self-organized monolayer of meso-tetradodecylporphyrin coordinated to Au(111).

Ø	N. Katsonis, T. Kudernac, M. Walko, S. J. van der Molen, B. van Wees, B. L. Feringa, *Adv.* **Mater. 2006*, 18, 1397-1400. Reversible conductance switching of photochromic molecules on a gold surface*.

Ø	S. J. van der Molen, H. van der Vegte, T. Kudernac, I. Amin, B. L. Feringa, B. J. van Wees, *Nanotechnology* 2006, 17, 310-314. Stochastic and photochromic switching of diarylethenes studied by scanning tunneling microscopy.

Ø	T. Kudernac, S. J. van der Molen, B. J. van Wees, B. L. Feringa. **Chem. Commun. 2006**, 3597-3599. Uni- and bi-directional light-induced switching of diarylethenes on gold nanoparticles.

Selected as a “hot paper” by the editors and highlighted in Chemical Science: “Flicking the switch in the nanoscale,” 10, 2006.

W. R. Browne, J. J. D. de Jong, T. Kudernac, M. Walko, L. N. Lucas, K. Uchida, J. H. van Esch, B. L. Feringa, Chem. Eur. J. 2005, 11, 6414-6429. Oxidative electrochemical switching in dithienylcyclopentenes, part 1: Effect of electronic perturbation on the efficiency and direction of molecular switching.

W. R. Browne, J. J. D. de Jong, T. Kudernac, M. Walko, L. N. Lucas, K. Uchida, J. H. van Esch, B. L. Feringa, Chem. Eur. J. 2005, 11, 6430-6441. Oxidative electrochemical switching in dithienylcyclopentenes, part 2: Effect of substitution and asymmetry on the efficiency and direction of molecular switching and redox stability.

Ø	T. Kudernac, J. J. D. de Jong, J. H. van Esch, B. L. Feringa, D. Dulic, S. J. van der Molen, B. J. van Wees. *Mol.* *Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 2005, 430, 205-210. Molecular switches get wired: Synthesis of diarylethenes containing one or two sulphurs.*

Ø	D. Dulic, S. J. van der Molen, T. Kudernac, H. T. Jonkman, J. J. D. de Jong, T. N. Bowden, J. H. van Esch, B. L. Feringa, B. J. van Wees. *Phys. Rev. Lett. 2003, 91, 207402. One-way optoelectronic switching of photochromic molecules on gold*.

Scholarships, Grants and Prizes

Ø	2010-2013, NWO-Veni Research Grant (The Netherlands).

Ø	2008, Best Poster Award at the conference “New Horizons of Photochromism – From Design of Molecules to Applications”, October 12th – 15th, Arras (France).

Ø	2007, FWO-Visiting Postdoctoral Fellowship (Belgium).

Ø	2002, 3rd prize of Student Scientific Activity Award at the national level (Slovakia).

Invited presentations and seminars

Ø	Invited lecture: Light in control of dynamic molecules on surfaces. Lorentz Center workshop on Dynamical Phenomena at Surfaces: The Role of Complexity, November 26-30, 2012, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Ø	Invited lecture: Nanoscale molecular reactivity and self-assembly. Institut des Nano-Sciences de Paris (INSP), Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), November 2012.

Ø	Invited lecture: Propelled motion of single molecules on surfaces. Beilstein Symposium 2012: Molecular Engineering and Control, 14th-18th May 2012, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany.

Ø	Plenary lecture: From molecular motors to propelled motion of a four-wheeled molecule. Foundations of Nanoscience (FNANO12): Self-Assembled Architectures and Devices, 2012, Snowbird, Utah.

Ø	Invited lecture: From molecular motors to propelled motion of a four-wheeled molecule. Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire (IPCM), Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), February 2012.

Ø	Invited lecture: Electrically-driven directional motion of a four-wheeled molecule on a metal surface. Annual MESA+ meeting 2011, 28th September, Enschede, The Netherlands.

Ø	Invited lecture: Intermolecular repulsion through interfacial attraction: toward engineering of self-assembled monolayers. ScienTec SPM meeting 2011, Supelec, France.

Ø	Invited lecture: Light-controlled conductance using molecular switches. CEMES-CNRS, Toulouse, September 2008.

Conference presentations

Ø	Electrically-Driven Molecular Machines on Surfaces: Converting Energy into Movement. Supramolecular chemistry conference 2012, 20th-23ed February, Lanzarote, Spain.

Ø	Electrically-driven directional motion of a four-wheeled molecule on a metal surface. Chains 2012, 28th-30th November 2011, Maarssen, The Netherlands.

Ø	Intermolecular Repulsion through Interfacial Attraction: Toward Engineering of Self-Assembled Monolayers. European Conference on Surface Science 2010, ECOSS 27, 30th August – 3rd September, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Ø	Conductance Switching of Single Photochromic Molecules on Gold. International Conference on Nanoscience and Technology, ICN&T 2006, 30th July-4th August, Basel, Switzerland.

Ø	Molecular Switch: Single Molecule Component for Nanoelectronics. MSCplus bi-annual meeting on Vlieland 2005, 29th-31st May, Vlieland, The Netherlands.

Ø	Molecular Switch: Single Molecule Component for Nanoelectronics. NWO-CW Symposium, “Ontwerp en Synthese, Structuur en Reactiviteit, Biomoleculaire Chemie”, 2003, 14th October, Lunteren, The Netherlands.

Ø	Molecular Switch: Single Molecule Component for Nanoelectronics. 55^th joint meeting of chemical societies 2003, 8th-12th September, Kosice, Slovakia.

Poster presentation

Early this year Tibor presented a poster at the “Burgenstock” conference, which is a very prestigious chemistry meeting. It is necessary to apply for admission. The number of participants is limited to 120.

Ø	Supramolecular porous networks on surfaces: towards chemistry at the nanoscale. EUCHEM Conference on Stereochemistry “Bürgenstock Conference”, Brunnen, 29th April- 4th May 2012, Brunnen, Switzerland.

Invited session chair

Tibor has recently been invited to chair a session at a forthcoming Lorentz Center workshop.

Ø	Invited discussion leader (chair): Session on “Chirality in two dimensions”; Lorentz Center workshop on Dynamical Phenomena at Surfaces: The Role of Complexity (WDPS-15) November 26-30, 2012, Leiden, the Netherlands.