Influence of solvent on the chiral resolution of organic molecules on Au(111): EC-STM study of biphenyl dicarboxylic acid on Au(111) in an aqueous environment

► Adsorption-induced chiral resolution study of BPDA molecules on Au(111) by EC-STM. ► Formation of BPDA islands with distinct orientations at the molecular length scale. ► No orientational ordering or chiral resolution above the molecular length scale. ► Calculation of angle-dependent binding energy and intermolecular interactions. ► Association of BPDA with water as the origin of the absence of chiral resolution.