Terpyridine (tpy) ligands with aromatic groups (naphthalene and pyrene) appended to them (see figure) were synthesized and the heteroleptic ruthenium(II) complexes Ru(tpy)(tpy~py)(PF₆)₂ and Ru(tpy)(tpy~nap)(PF₆)₂ were synthesized. These complexes have the ability to absorb to graphene surfaces via pi-stacking interactions and provide a potentially valuable methodology for functionalizing a wide variety of carbon surfaces, including carbon nanotubes, without causing dramatic shifts in the bonding and structure of the underlying surface. Electrochemical analysis, via cyclic voltammetry, was used to examine the adsorption properties of these two complexes on glassy carbon electrodes and it was found that the maximum surface coverage (i.e monolayer coverage) for Ru(tpy)(tpy~py)(PF₆)₂ was 4.8x10^-11 mol/cm².