Diazo and diazonium compounds for surface modification

This digest surveys recent trends in the development and application of diazo and diazonium compounds for the surface modification of diverse materials; the interest in these reagents derives both from their ready capacity to extrude nitrogen and in so doing generate reactive species, such as carbenes or radicals, or to react directly by diazonium coupling, with both processes easily capable of occurring at interfaces, leading to the modification of surface chemical functionality without alteration of the bulk material.