Self-assembly of thioether functionalized fullerenes on gold and their activity in electropolymerization of styrene

Abstract

A series of new fulleropyrrolidine alkylaromatic sulphides with different substituents on the sulphur atom were synthesized. The redox properties of the C₆₀ derivatives in solution and self-assembled on gold electrode surfaces were characterized by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. All fullerene derivatives were found to be bound to the gold surface by the thioether sulphur anchoring group and not through fullerene sphere – Au surface interactions. The unique electrochemical properties of the synthesized fullerene derivatives allowed to show for the first time initiating activity of fullerene molecules in the anionic polymerization of styrene under electrochemical conditions.