An anodic method for covalent attachment of molecules to electrodes through an ethynyl linkage.

Electroactive organometallic molecules have been covalently attached to electrode surfaces through an ethynyl linkage. The process takes advantage of ethynyl-based radicals generated by anodic oxidation of a lithio-activated terminal ethynyl group. Electrophores containing redox-active ferrocene, cymantrene, or cobaltocenium moieties have been deposited at the one-to-three monolayer level. Both metal-based and ligand-based chemical reactions have been carried out on the surface-modified systems.