Adsorption of succinonitrile at the mercury-aqueous solution interface: Unusual role of a fixed dipole in the adsorbed molecule

The adsorption of succinonitrile (SN) on a polarized Hg electrode has been studied from 0.25 M NaF aqueous solutions by means of both capacity and electrocapillary curves. Adsorption isotherms have been found to be strictly congruent with respect to both charge and potential. The charge of maximum adsorption is at ?4.6 μC cm^?2 and ΔG_ads⁰, the free energy of adsorption at zero coverage, decreases more rapidly as the charge is made positive with respect to O_max^M than on the other side. The adsorption obeys a Frumkin isotherm with a=?1.87 corresponding to attraction and saturation concentration of 4.8×10^?10 mol cm^?2 corresponding to an area per molecule of about 34.5 Ų. Experimental results suggest that SN adsorbs flat on the surface but, unlike acetonitrile and propionitrile, the CN groups are slightly turned towards the solution. This is responsible for the absence of electronic interaction of the CN groups with the metal at positive charges, which is apparent with the other two nitriles. Implications of the particular structure of the adsorbed molecule on the other adsorption parameters are discussed in detail.