Abstract
Attempts were made to functionalize a zirconium/cobalt heterobimetallic complex with either an azide or alkyne functionality, with the goal of immobilizing the complex on an electrode surface. Incorporation of the alkyne functionality was determined to be practically impossible owing to numerous side reactions with zirconium(IV). Azide reactivity with phosphines was attempted to be bypassed by stabilizing the phosphine with the dative interactions to the cobalt. However, functionalization of the heterobimetallic complex with azide directly was found to yield a metalloazide species, and under certain conditions, produce the aryl organoazide in very poor yields. Functionalization of a glassy carbon electrode with a terminal alkyne functionality was successful, and successful immobilization of azidomethylferrocene moiety affirms both that the reaction is possible, and the potential benefits to the electrochemistry that motivated this research. However, attempted immobilization of the heterobimetallic complex failed, most likely owing to insufficient azide-functionalization of the complex.