Indirect Grafting of Acetonitrile-Derived Films on Metallic Substrates

Strongly bonded organic films with amino groups are obtained on gold, copper, and silicon surfaces by reduction of 2,6-dimethyl benzenediazonium in acetonitrile (ACN). The sterically hindered 2,6-dimethylphenyl radical is unable to attach to the surface, but it abstracts an hydrogen atom from ACN to give the cyanomethyl radical (·CH 2 CN) that reacts with the surface. A spontaneous reaction is also possible on copper. The film is characterized by IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ellipsometry, water contact angles, and cyclic voltammetry. A mechanism is elaborated that accounts for the formation, grafting of the cyanomethyl radical, and finally formation of amino multilayers.