Self-assembled monolayers: influence of complementarity between chemisorbed and crystallizing molecules in polymorph selection.

The role of self-assembled monolayers in dictating the arrangement of molecules at the interface in a developing solid is explored. A self-assembled monolayer incorporating a complementary backbone structure between chemisorbed and crystallizing molecules of 4-hydroxybiphenyl favors its crystallization in a new monoclinic crystal packing arrangement.