This article discusses the on-surface synthesis of porous graphene nanoribbons facilitated by phenyl migration, leading to the formation of [18]-annulene pores along the ribbon edges. This process was studied using scanning tunneling microscopy and computational methods, revealing a sequential pathway that maximizes pore yield by anchoring the nanoribbons to vicinal surfaces. The research expands the toolbox of graphene nanostructure synthesis, introducing new methods to generate porous structures, which have potential applications in areas like electronics and catalysis.
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