Highly Stable Redox-Active Molecular Layers by Covalent Grafting to Conductive Diamond

We demonstrate a modular click-based functionalization scheme that allows inexpensive conductive diamond samples to serve as an ultrastable platform for surface-tethered electrochemically active molecules stable out to similar to 1.3 V vs Ag/AgCl. We have cycled surface-tethered Ru(tpy)(2) to this potential more than 1 million times with little or no degradation in propylene carbonate and only slightly reduced stability in water and acetonitrile.