Electrografting of diazonium salts: A kinetics study

•Study of electrochemical diazonium salts grafting on gold surface by EQCM.•Measurements and study of initial kinetics.•Electron-withdrawing substituents increase the rate of reaction of the aryl radical on the gold surface.

The rates of electrochemical grafting of different diazonium salts on gold are measured by EQCM (Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance). These rates correlate reasonably well with the σpara Hammett constant, indicating that the partial electrophilic character of the intermediate aryl radical favors attack on the gold surface.