Azide-Modified Graphitic Surfaces for Covalent Attachment of Alkyne-Terminated Molecules by “Click” Chemistry

Azide-modified graphitic surfaces were prepared by reaction with iodine azide. The surface-attached azides undergo the “click” reaction with alkyne-terminated molecules ethynylferrocene and 1-ethynyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzene. Voltammetric and XPS analyses show the surface coverage of both the azide and the subsequent triazole of 2 × 1013 molecules/cm2. The 1,2,3-triazole linker is stable in an aqueous 1 M HCl solution for at least 60 min at 55 °C.