Quinone-Enriched Gold Nanoparticles in Bioelectrochemistry and Charge Storage

We are aiming at the development of a general electrochemical platform suitable for multifarious investigations of biogenic materials. The new platform can be attained by grafting organic/metal hybrids with quinone functionality. In-house made and customized anthraquinone derivatives (with linking groups ranging from thiophenes to thiols) were chosen as model compounds for linking together bulk quantities of gold nanoparticles and providing desired functionality. Anthraquinone thiophene and thiol derivatives were synthetized via Sonogashira coupling-type reactions. The synthetic pathways for merging gold nanoparticles with resultant anthraquinones include one-pot microwave assisted synthesis or after-mixing of separately prepared gold nanoparticles with selected compounds. The quinone-enriched gold nanoparticles can be transferred onto different electrode surfaces, thus enabling facile manufacturing of functional electroactive films. Preliminary electrochemical investigations are indicative that quinone function is retained. The films can be utilized in broad energy related applications. Enzymes immobilized on the crafted new electrode materials can act as cathodes with “built-in” mediator for biofuel cells, or without any modification as anodes in putative and real charge storage devices. Moreover, the new anthraquinone derivatives offer interesting perspectives related with molecular electronics.