New approach to rapid generation and screening of diverse catalytic materials on electrode surfaces

This paper describes a general approach to rapid generation and screening o f catalytic materials on electrode surfaces. The properties of the correspo nding polymers, including catalytic performance, can be modulated by varyin g the monomer feed ratios, monomer concentrations, and applied polymerizati on potential, Thus, the generation of the polymeric TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramet hylpiperidin-1-yloxy) catalysts was performed by electrochemical copolymeri zation of 2,2'-bithiophene with the TEMPO catalyst precursors containing py rrole side chains. A library of catalyst films was obtained over a wide ran ge of bithiophene/pyrrole ratios upon repeated scanning of the applied pote ntial from +0.5 to +1.4 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The resulting catalyst films were u tilized in both chemical and electrochemical oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes.