Disulfide-strapped porphyrins for monolayer formation on gold

Porphyrins with a disulfide-containing strap have been prepared as an alternative to dithiols for self-assembled monolayer formation on gold surfaces. The strapped porphyrins have the advantage of greater air stability than their dithiol analogues. Cis and trans atropisomers of a strapped porphyrin were isolated. Gold electrodes modified with dithiol and disulfide porphyrins were not identical as evidenced by contact angle or electrochemical measurements.