C60-Modified Diazonium Cation as a Reactive Agent in Electrochemical Synthesis of Thin Fullerene-Containing Polymeric Films on the Glassy Carbon Electrode

Abstract The electrochemical reduction of the 4-(4,5-fullero-1-methylpyrrolidin-2-yl)benzenediazonium (C60-pyr-benN2+) cation on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) results in the formation of a fullerene-based polymeric phase (poly-C60-pyr-ben) at the electrode surface. The electrode surface is covalently modified with a monolayer of C60-pyr-ben• radicals. Subsequently, a polymer multilayer is formed through the deposition of electrochemically generated radicals on the fullerene network. There is a significant difference in the energy of C60-pyr-ben• radical bonding to glassy carbon and to the fullerene moiety. The energy involved in the radical bonding to the carbon surface is significantly lower than the energy required to connect the radical to the fullerene network. The amount of material deposited at the electrode surface is controlled by the experimental time window. The morphological, structural, electrochemical, and spectroscopic properties of electrochemically synthesized poly-C60-pyr-ben are investigated. The fullerene-based polymer exhibits reversible electrochemical activity in the negative potential range owing to the redox properties of the C60 moiety.