Electrocatalytic behaviour of surface confined pentanethio cobalt (II) binuclear phthalocyanines towards the oxidation of 4-chlorophenol

Cobalt binuclear phthalocyanine (CoBiPc) bearing pentanethio substituents at the peripheral positions were synthesized. The immobilization of the synthesized cobalt phthalocyanines on gold electrode was achieved using self-assembled monolayer method (SAM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Kelvin Probe (KP) techniques were used to characterise the formation of monomeric and binuclear phthalocyanine SAMs on the gold surface. The phthalocyanine SAMs on gold electrodes were investigated for electrocatalytic oxidation of 4-chlorophenol. The electrocatalytic properties of tetra- and octa- pentanethio substituted cobalt binuclear phthalocyanine (CoBiPc) are compared with their tetra- and octa-pentanethio substituted phthalocyanine (CoPc). The SAMs modified gold electrode surfaces showed a peak current enhancement and stability and reduction in electrocatalytic potentials compared to the bare or unmodified electrodes towards the detection of the 4-chlorophenol. The SAMs of cobalt binuclear phthalocyanines exhibited more enhanced electrocatalytic properties in terms of stability, detection peak current and reduction of the electrocatalytic over potential.