Preparation and electrochemical performance of TEMPO-modified polyterthiophene electrode obtained by electropolymerization

[Display omitted] •A novel terthiophene monomer with a side chain TEMPO (TT-TEMPO) was synthesized successfully.•The polymer PTT-TEMPO film displayed a uniform network structure.•The PTT-TEMPO film electrode functioned well for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. A novel monomer of terthiophene with a side chain TEMPO, 4-(2,5-di(thiophen-2-yl)thiophen-3-yl)acetyl-oxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yloxy (TT-TEMPO) was successfully synthesized. Its corresponding polymer PTT-TEMPO was prepared via electrochemical polymerization on Pt electrode in boron trifluoride diethyl etherate solution. PTT-TEMPO film showed a uniform network structure. Compared with bare Pt electrode, PTT-TEMPO electrode exhibited high electrocatalytic performance for oxidation of benzyl alcohol in the presence of 2,6-lutidine under similar conditions. Benzyl alcohol was selectively oxidized to benzaldehyde based on in situ FTIR analysis.