Abstract:  Molecules can be created using atomic manipulation. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) with functionalized tips achieves atomic and bond resolved resolution providing insights into the structure, aromaticity, charge states and bond-order relations of the molecules created and into the reactions performed. Elusive molecules as for example the carbon allotrope cyclo[18]carbon could be created and studied. On insulating substrates, we can control the charge states of molecules. We can measure the reorganization energy and excited state energies of individual molecules. With ultrahigh-resolution imaging we resolved the structure of charged molecules.