“…The development of surface chemistry for endowing appropriate properties onto material surfaces has been of considerable interest in the materials chemistry field because the performance of functional materials is closely affected by their surface properties. − For example, biocompatible surface modification is a prerequisite for applying nano-/micromaterials in vivo . − In this respect, surface modification reagents, which enable the introduction of desired properties onto the surface of any material, are necessary; therefore, significant effort has been devoted to the development of a versatile surface modification reagent in the last decade. − Dopamine and tannic acid are representative molecules for such versatile surface modification. ,,, Both molecules belong to the hydroxybenzene family, which is prone to oxidation and self-assembly under mild aqueous conditions. Immersion of solid substrates in a solution of alkaline dopamine or tannic acid/metal complexes formed a polydopamine or tannic acid/metal complex coating. ,,, After the versatile surface coating properties of dopamine and tannic acid were investigated, follow-up studies have been extensively conducted, focusing on the synthesis of catechol/pyrogallol derivatives. ,− Since the catechol/pyrogallol derivatives consist of hydrophobic aromatic cores and hydrophilic hydroxyls, these molecules can bind to hydrophobic and hydrophilic solid surfaces, thereby coating diverse surfaces. Moreover, these molecules are similar in that they are transformed to large molecules via self-polymerization or metal-mediated multiple coordination bond formation .…”