Surface immobilization of terpyridine compounds.
by Hallett, Lily; Kilyanek, Stefan M.
The deoxydehydration of polyols to alkenes is a promising method of producing high-value chem. feedstocks from biomass-derived materials. This reaction is carried out with organometallic catalysts which require reducing agents that generate stoichiometric amts. of chem. waste. Tethering catalysts to electrode surfaces using ligands as linking groups will eliminate the need for sacrificial reductants. Surface immobilization will also increase turnover nos. and eliminate competing side reactions, thus reducing waste and rendering the DODH reaction industrially feasible. In this work, 4'-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine ligands are electrodeposited onto glassy carbon electrodes. The stability of the ligand-electrode bond is examd. in aq. buffer solns. over a wide range of pH values. Cycling stability studies and chronoamperometry expts. have also been carried out with the modified electrodes.