ETD

• carbene
• copper
• corrosion
• electrochemistry
• gold
• metallic surface
• n-heterocyclic carbene
• nhc
• sensor

The primary goal of this thesis work has been to assess the electrochemical properties of Au and Cu electrodes functionalized with N-Heterocyclic Carbenes (NHCs) and confront their performances with thiolate SAMs. Towards this goal, NHC adhesion on Au and Cu surfaces was carried out using an electrodepostion process that exploits the localized formation of hydroxyl ions near the working electrode formed by reduction of the residual water present in the solvent, deprotonating the NHC precursors to form the corresponding carbene: this was achieved by applying a negative voltage to the working Au and Cu electrode. Categorically, the focus of this thesis is:
• Synthesis of two novel ionic liquids derived from methylimidazole, acting as NHC precursors, bearing unsaturated sidechains, with the aim of utilizing the unsaturated moiety for further functionalization post-electrodeposition.
• The electrochemical properties of Au electrodes functionalized with these NHCs were characterized and compared to Au electrodes functionalized with Thiolate SAMs and SAMs of the corresponding NHC bearing a saturated sidechain.
• The effects of adhesion of NHCs bearing saturated and unsaturated sidechains on corrosion of copper surfaces immersed in a NaCl 3.5% (w/w) solution was investigated and confronted with bare copper surfaces and surfaces functionalized with thiolate SAMs.