In order to investigate the process of noncovalent adsorption on glassy carbon surfaces, two terpyridine ligands 4-pyren-1-yl-N-[5-([2,2';6',2 '']terpyridin-4'-yloxy)-pentyl]-butyramide (tpy similar to py) and N-[5-([2,2';6',2 '']terpyriding-4'-yloxy)-pentyl]-2-naphthamide (tpy similar to nap) as well as the homoleptic cobalt(II) complexes of these ligands (Co(tpy similar to py)(2)-(PF6)(2) and Co(tpy similar to nap)(2)(PF6)(2)) were synthesized. Electrochemical measurements in solution were used to characterize the transport behavior of these complexes and to verify that the polyaromatic portion of each ligand did not dramatically influence the electronic properties of the transition metal complex. The adsorption of the cobalt complexes above on glassy carbon electrode surfaces was then examined using cyclic voltammetry and was found to be well described by Langmuir or Frumkin isotherms. The free energy of adsorption for Co(tpy similar to py)(2)(PF6)(2) was considerably larger than that for Co(tpy similar to nap)(2)(PF6)(2): -41 versus -30 kJ/mol.