Diazo Coupling for Surface Attachment of Small Molecules to TiO2 Nanoparticles

Robust surface attachment of molecular species to metal oxide semiconductors is desirable for many applications. Here, we report the interfacial diazo coupling of surface-bound amines with aromatics to bind them to the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles via a robust siloxane anchor and a diazo link. The technique shows potential for the inexpensive, stable, modular and tunable attachment of molecules to metal oxide surfaces.