Direct Covalent Coupling of Porphyrins to Graphene

Graphene–porphyrin nanohybrid materials with a direct covalent linkage between the graphene carbon network and the functional porphyrin unit have been successfully synthesized via a one-pot reductive diazotation approach. A graphite–potassium intercalation compound (KC8) was dispersed in THF, and different isolated porphyrin–diazonium salts were added. The direct covalent binding and the detailed characterization of the functional hybrid material were carried out by Raman spectroscopy, TG-MS, UV/vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. LDI-ToF mass spectrometry was introduced as a new versatile and sensitive tool to investigate covalently functionalized graphene derivatives and to establish the composition of the respective nanohybrid materials.