Abstract
The adsorption and reaction of ethanol with the Rh(110) surface has been studied using a thermal molecular beam system and temperature programmed desorption. On the clean surface, ethanol shows a very simple dehydrogenation, producing hydrogen in the gas phase, adsorbed CO (which is desorbed by heating to 550 K) and carbon. Since in alcohol synthesis reactions it is likely that the surface will be partially oxidised, the reaction with predosed oxygen was also investigated. The reaction pathway then becomes much more complex. The main changes are (i) CH4 and H2O evolution during adsorption, and (ii)Acetate formation by oxygen insertion in the molecule. The acetate shows very unusual decomposition kinetics — a surface ‘explosion’ with a very narrow peak-yielding CO2 and H2 in the gas phase and adsorbed C. The acetate is always seen on Rh catalysts which are selective for alcohol synthesis from CO and H2, and it is proposed that oxidic promoters such as vanadia may act to stabilise this intermediate.
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Bowker, M., Li, Y. Acetate formation and explosive decomposition during ethanol oxidation on Rh. Catal Lett 10, 249–258 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00772078
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00772078