Patterning organic layers on carbon surfaces using electro-labile protected aryl diazonium salts

The reduction of aryl diazonium salts is nowadays recognized as a powerful technique to functionalize many surfaces included carbon materials. However, efficient and easy-to-perform methods to pattern monolayers on carbon surfaces using aryl diazonium grafting are still missing. Herein, we described the synthesis and the use of a special aryl diazonium salt bearing an electro-labile protecting group. After electrochemical deprotection, it leads to the formation of a reactive benzoic acid layer that can be easily post-functionalized. This approach is successfully implemented in a scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) experiment to achieve a facile patterning of an organic layer onto carbon surfaces.