Design and synthesis of novel terpyridine-based ligands with one and two terminal aurophilic moieties and their Rh(III) and Ru(II) complexes for the adsorption on metal surfaces

Abstract Novel terpyridine ligands with one and two terminal aurophilic sulfur containing fragments, (S)-11-(4-([2,2':6',2''-terpyridin]-4'-yl)phenoxy)undecyl 5-(1,2-dithiolan-3-yl)pentanoate (7), (S)-((4-([2,2':6',2''-terpyridin]-4'-yl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(oxy))bis(undecane-11,1-diyl) bis(5-((S)-1,2-dithiolan-3-yl)pentanoate) (11a), (S)-((4-([2,2':6',2''-terpyridin]-4'-yl)-1,2-phenylene)bis(oxy))bis(undecane-11,1-diyl) bis(5-((S)-1,2-dithiolan-3-yl)pentanoate) (11b), (S)-((5-([2,2':6',2''-terpyridin]-4'-yl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(oxy))bis(undecane-11,1-diyl) bis(5-((S)-1,2-dithiolan-3-yl)pentanoate) (11c) were synthesized and employed to synthesis of mononuclear ruthenium(II) and rhodium(III) complexes. Electrochemical studies of the obtained ligands and coordination compounds and their ability to chemisorb on gold electrodes surfaces have been carried out. Among the obtained metal complexes, compounds with the minimum time of chemisorption with the formation of Au-S bonds were revealed, which are complexes of 3,4- and 3,5-substituted phenylterpyridines.