Several new derivatives of 2,2′-bipyridines with a spacer group separated from the 2,2-bipyridine fragment, namely, an ethynyl fragment, were obtained using the Sonagashira cross-coupling reaction. The resulting derivatives were physically adsorbed on platinum electrode and were then used as activators of the catalytic activity of a platinum electrode in the reaction of cholesterol electrooxidation in an acetonitrile medium. Sensitivity, limit of detection and detectable concentration range were calculated, and the best results was established as 6.2±0.6 μA/mM, 0.08 mM and 0–0.3 mM, respectively. These results show that the prepared compounds adsorbed on platinum electrode are perspective systems for developing of new enzymeless cholesterol sensor based on them. © 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.