Oxidation Potentials Correlate with Conductivities of Aromatic Molecular Wires

Abstract

Cyclic voltammetry determines first and second oxidation potentials of conducting diamines. The results show that unsubstituted and methyl-substituted molecules conduct electricity in partially positively charged states, reflecting electron delocalization at the wire−gold junctions, but with electron-withdrawing substituents, the molecular wires are closer to uncharged as conductors, consistent with HOMO arguments.