Nitrophenyl groups in diazonium-generated multilayered films: which are electrochemically responsive?

Various nitrophenyl-containing organic layers have been electrografted to glassy carbon surfaces using diazonium chemistry to elucidate the extent by which the layer structure influences the solvent (i.e., acetonitrile) accessibility, electroactivity, and chemical reactivity of the films.

Versatile transformations of alkylamine-derivatized glassy carbon electrodes using aryl isocyanates.

The reaction between a nucleophilic 4-(2-aminoethyl)phenyl-tethered glassy carbon surface and various para-substituted aryl isocyanates [ONC-PhX; X = NO(2), COPh, Cl, H, and NMe(2)] has been studied in toluene. It is demonstrated that the nucleophilic addition reaction is relatively fast occurring within two hours while providing an efficient and versatile route for derivatizing alkylamine-functionalized surfaces. An often overlooked issue in surface reactions is the possibility for competing physisorption processes.