Surface modification of nanocrystalline TiO2 particles with catechol was found to result in a red shift of the semiconductor absorption compared to unmodified nanocrystallites. The undercoordinated defect sites at TiO2 surface are the source of novel enhanced and selective reactivity of the nanoparticle toward bidentate ligand binding. Catechol, an enediol ligand, have the optimal geometry for chelating surface Ti atoms, resulting in a five-membered ring coordination complex and restoration of six-coordinated octahedral geometry of surface Ti atoms.Physical chemistry 2008 : 9th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 24-28 September 200
