Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy studies of phenylpyridines interacting with a copper electrode surface

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra serve as a valuable source of information about the organic adsorbates at the surface and about the nature of the oxide films of monolayer thickness. In this study, interactions of 2-phenylpyridine and 3-phenylpyridine with copper surface were investigated by means of SERS spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry and compared with 4-phenylpyridine. A strong dependence of the spectral pattern on the applied potential was observed for all phenylpyridines. Experimental spectra were compared with ab initio calculations in order to better understand the spectral effects. The SERS results were interpreted in terms of reorientation of the molecular plane with respect to the Cu surface.