Nanoporous gold is a material with high conductivity and surface area, which makes it an interesting platform for surface chemistry. However, the nanoporous gold surface lacks the molecular functionality necessary for many applications. We have investigated molecular layer formation and properties on nanoporous gold, comparing reactions formed through the commonly used thiol attachments with direct carbon to gold bonds formed through alkyne-based attachments. We use infrared spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy to compare the molecular layer density and stability and show that the alkyne-based molecular layers are highly electrically transmissive. A linear free energy relationship between alkyne binding density and Hammett electronic parameters also provides mechanistic insight into the reaction.

Electrically transmissive and stable alkyne-derived molecular layers on nanoporous gold electrodes

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