Azobenzene (AB) and 4-nitroazobenzene (NAB) were covalently bonded to carbon surfaces by electrochemical reduction of their diazonium derivatives. The N(1s) features of XPS spectra of modified surfaces had intensities expected for monolayer coverage. However, the Raman spectra were significantly more intense than expected, implying an increase in scattering cross section upon chemisorption. A likely explanation is resonance enhancement of the carbon/adsorbate chromophore analogous to that reported earlier for dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) chemisorption. Vibrational assignments indicate that the C-C vibration between azobenzene and the carbon surface is in the 1240-1280 cm(-1) region, and this conclusion is supported by spectra obtained from [(13)C]graphite. Observation of depolarization ratios for 4-nitroazobenzene and DNPH on graphite edge plane indicate that NAB is able to rotate about the NAB/carbon C-C bond, while chemisorbed DNPH is not. The partial multiple bond character of the DNPH linkage to graphite is consistent with the observation that the DNPH π system remains parallel to the graphitic planes.