Preparation and electrochemistry of a pyrene-linked iron terpyridine and its anodic redox polymer

An iron(II)bis-terpyridine complex bearing 4′ pendant pyrenyl groups on each ligand (Fe(tpySCH2-pyr)22+) was synthesized, characterized electrochemically and was shown to form a novel redox polymer via anodic electropolymerization. Immersion of glassy carbon electrodes into dilute acetonitrile solutions of the complex and then into clean electrolyte established that the complex will physisorb onto glassy carbon at 0.1 monolayer coverage from 500 μM solution. Anodic cyclic voltammetry of the pyrenyl iron compound revealed well-resolved Fe(II/III) centered redox waves near 0.9 V and an irreversible, pyrene centered oxidation at ca. 1.1 V. The Fe(II/III) waves grew in magnitude over time and persisted in fresh complex-free electrolyte indicating a surface electropolymerization reaction most likely mediated via the pyrene pendant groups, and exhibiting facile charge transport through a ca. 100 nm polymer film. Spectroelectrochemical analysis of Fe(tpySCH2-pyr)2(OTf)2 films grown on indium–tin oxide transparent electrodes confirmed the presence of a Fe(II/III) redox-active film that has a nearly Nernstian response, but with a small Fe(II) component that does not oxidize interfacially.