Single-molecule electrochemical imaging of ‘split waves’ in the electrocatalytic (EC′) mechanism

Abstract

We describe a single-molecule electrochemical imaging strategy to study the electrocatalytic (EC′) mechanism. Using the fluorescent molecule ATTO647N at extremely low concentrations as the substrate, we confirmed its catalytic reduction to a nonfluorescent form in the presence of the mediator phenazine methosulfate (PMS) by imaging and counting fluorescent molecules. Conventional electrochemical current in cyclic voltammetry would not have allowed us to infer the existence of an EC′ process or the PMS-mediated ATTO647N reduction. Additionally, we observed shifts in the catalytic reduction potential of ATTO647N at various mediator concentrations, which agree with the theoretical predictions by Savéant. Our work offers a new perspective on connecting single-molecule EC′ behaviors with the conventional ensemble EC′ mechanism, both practically and theoretically.