Mediator compounds for the electrochemical study of biological redox systems: a compilation

Many biological compounds exhibit irreversible redox behavior as a result of slow heterogeneous electron transfer at electrode surfaces. In order to study the electrochemical behavior of these biocomponents, redox mediators are used to facilitate the electron transfer process. In this review the characteristics of ideal mediators are discussed and structural information on previously reported mediator compounds is provided. The electrochemical literature has been extensively surveyed to provide an up-to-date compilation of mediators suitable for use in potentiometric and coulometric titrations and in various types of voltammetric studies of biological redox systems. The compilation provides information on the formal potentials of the mediators as well as their previous applications and references. This review is intended to provide a current survey of compounds having suitable redox mediation characteristics.