This paper describes the role of adatoms in the electrochemical behavior of gold electrodes modified with metal ion tetrasulphonated phthalocyanines ͑MTSPc͒. After electrodeposition of MTSPc ͑M = Cu͑II͒, Fe͑III͒, Co͑II͒, and Al͑III͒͒ the long-term stability of the modified electrodes was investigated. It took about 1000 scans before the electrode showed a constant behavior. During the scanning the MTSPc adsorption peak potentials shifted from their initial value to a value of Ϫ0.36 V vs. SCE, which is related to the redox reactions of the gold adatoms. After a long scanning procedure, the amount of these adatoms increases and controls the redox reactions of the deposited MTSPc.Since their discovery in 1934 by Linstead, 1 phthalocyanines and their derivatives have been widely used as dyestuffs and colors. Now they are also commonly used in high-technology applications, such as photovoltaics, electronics, and sensing devices. 2-6 The major characteristics of phthalocyanines, which also can be used in electrocatalysis, 7,8 are their thermal and chemical stability and their extensive redox chemistry.Transition metal phthalocyanines have attracted wide research interest, including that of electrochemists. The aromatic ring structure can be electrochemically oxidized or reduced. More than 70 different metal ions can form a complex by coordinating with the phthalocyanine ring. 2 When the central metal is a transition metal, its ion can also be oxidized or reduced.The immobilization of these compounds on an electrode surface can lead to modified electrodes with electrocatalytic properties. Electrodeposition is the method used in this study to produce these electrodes. This technique enables one to control and characterize the formed layer very well by following the current as a function of potential during the process.This paper describes the electrodeposition of Cu͑II͒TSPc onto a gold electrode in alkaline solution. Figure 1 shows the molecular structure of Cu͑II͒TSPc. The stability of the modified electrode was monitored by scanning the potential of the electrode over a much longer period in a buffer solution. The role of gold adatoms in the stability of these electrodes is the subject of this article.Adatoms are so-called active ͑or low lattice coordination state͒ surface metal atoms. 9,10 It has been pointed out that some metals, e.g., gold, 11 undergo a premonolayer oxidation in which these adatoms are oxidized at potentials well below the potential required for regular monolayer oxide formation. Adatoms undergo oxidation to yield low-coverage hydrous oxide species that can mediate oxidation and inhibit reduction processes at the electrode surface. 12 These active gold atoms can play an important role in electrocatalytic reactions. [11][12][13] Experimental A saturated calomel reference electrode ͑SCE͒ with two compartments from Radiometer and a carbon counter electrode were used. The working electrodes were gold electrodes from BAS ͑1.6 mm diam͒ and were pretreated by mechanical and electrochemical polishing. Befor...