Energetics and Redox Kinetics of Pure Ferrocene-Terminated -Heterocyclic Carbene Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold.

heterocyclic carbene (NHC) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold have received considerable attention, but little is known about the lateral interactions between neighboring NHC molecules, their stability when subjected to aggressive oxidizing/reducing conditions, and their interactions with solution ions, all of which are essential for their use in a wide range of applications. To address these deficiencies, we present a comprehensive investigation of two different ferrocene (Fc)-terminated NHC SAMs with different chain lengths and linking groups. Pure monolayers of Fc-terminated NHCs display only a single, symmetrical pair of redox peaks, implying the formation of a homogeneous SAM structure with uniformly distributed Fc/Fc redox centers.

Mesoionic carbene-based self-assembled monolayers on gold.

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) have been widely studied as ligands for surface chemistry, and have shown advantages compared to existing ligands ( thiols). Herein, we introduce mesoionic carbenes (MICs) as a new type of surface ligand. MICs exhibit higher σ-donor ability compared to typical NHCs, yet they have received little attention in the area of surface chemistry.

N-Heterocyclic carbenes meet toll-like receptors.

Combining the stability of the N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and broad-spectrum recognition of toll-like receptor (TLR) proteins, we report new electrochemical biosensors for bacteria detection. Instead of traditional thiol-gold chemistry, newly synthesized NHCs are employed as the linker molecules to immobilize TLR bio-recognition elements on gold electrodes. Our proof-of-concept methodology includes testing the fidelity of TLR-based electrochemical sensors with NHC linkers.

Ultrasensitive and Label-Free Detection of the Measles Virus Using an N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Based Electrochemical Biosensor.

With the current intense need for rapid and accurate detection of viruses due to COVID-19, we report on a platform technology that is well suited for this purpose, using intact measles virus for a demonstration. Cases of infection due to the measles virus are rapidly increasing, yet current diagnostic tools used to monitor for the virus rely on slow (>1 h) technologies. Here, we demonstrate the first biosensor capable of detecting the measles virus in minutes with no preprocessing steps.

N-Heterocyclic Carbenes Reduce and Functionalize Copper Oxide Surfaces in One Pot.

Benzimidazolium hydrogen carbonate salts have been shown to act as N-heterocyclic carbene precursors, which can remove oxide from copper oxide surfaces and functionalize the resulting metallic surfaces in a single pot. Both the surfaces and the etching products were fully characterized by spectroscopic methods. Analysis of surfaces before and after NHC treatment by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrates the complete removal of copper(II) oxide.