Surface modification of gold electrodes was carried out with various thioamine compound, and quinone binding was studied on these modified surfaces. It was established that depending on the chemical nature of the binder, covalently and noncovalently bonded quinone could be attached with well-distinguished electrochemical characteristic. The attached quinone layer could be reacted with various diamine compounds, and the amine group of the new terminating layer could be reacted again with quinone. In such a way we could form various multilayers of quinone with different binder and spacer between the electroactive units. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.