Fluorescence and redox activity of probes anchored through an aminotrithiol to polycrystalline gold

A self-assembled monolayer of tris[3-(mercaptopropyl)methyl)]-N-(aminoacetyl)amine anchored onto a polycrystalline gold surface acts as an effective linking agent for binding surface probes that can be activated by light or by an applied potential, Fluorescence from two appended chromophores was observed when scattering of incident light from the gold support was minimized. Monolayers of 1 coupled to an end-terminated ferrocenyl group showed blocking electrochemical behavior by cyclic voltammetry, while retaining the characteristic redox activity of the attached group. These results indicate high yields of in situ surface coupling and significant local order within the two-dimensional array.