Attachment of a diruthenium compound to Au and SiO2/Si surfaces by "click" chemistry

Fabrication of electrodes with functionalized properties is of interest in many electronic applications with the surface impacting the electrical and electronic properties of devices. We report the formation of molecular monolayers containing a redox-active diruthenium(II,III) compound to gold and silicon surfaces via "click" chemistry. The use of Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition enables modular design of molecular surfaces and interfaces and allows for a variety of substrates to be functionalized. Attachment of the diruthenium compound is monitored by using infrared and photoelectron spectroscopies. The highest occupied molecular (or system) orbital of the "clicked-on" diruthenium is clearly seen in the photoemission measurements and is mainly attributed to the presence of the Ru atoms. The "click" attachment is robust and provides a route to investigate the evolution of the electronic structure and properties of novel molecules attached to a variety of electrodes. The ability to attach this redox-active Ru molecule onto SiO2 and Au surfaces is important for the development of functional molecular devices such as charge-based memory devices.