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Title: Reactions of small organic molecules on silver(110)

Miscellaneous ·
OSTI ID:6980999

The interaction of two pairs of molecules (1) acetone (CH[sub 3])[sub 2]C=O and isobutylene (CH[sub 3])[sub 2] C=CH[sub 2] and (2) 1,2-propanediol CH[sub 3] CH (OH)CH[sub 2]OH and 1,3-propanediol HOCH[sub 2]CH[sub 2]CH[sub 2]OH with clean and oxygen-activated Ag(110) has been explored to investigate the effects of molecular structure on reactivity. Experimental techniques employed include temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy, isotopic labelling, surface displacement reactions, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. Acetone and isobutylene were studied to explore the relative importance of C=O and C=C bonds in governing the reactivity of structurally similar compounds. Nucleophilic attack by oxygen at the electron-deficient carbonyl carbon in acetone results in reversible formation of the metallacycle (CH[sub 3])[sub 2]COO[sub (a)] at 110 K. Upon heating C-H bond activation by O[sub (a)] occurs near 215 K to yield acetone enolate CH[sub 2]=C(CH[sub 3])O[sub (a)] and evolve H[sub 2]O[sub (g)]. Atomic oxygen activates methyl C-H bonds in isobutylene via an acid-base mechanism. Although the major products are CO[sub 2(g)] and H[sub 2]O[sub (g)], a small amount of (CH[sub 3])[sub 2]C=CH[sub 2(g)] evolves near 310 K. Evidence for the formation of [pi]-2-methylallyl CH[sub 3]C(CH[sub 2])[sub 2(a)] and trimethylenementhane C(CH[sub 2])[sub 3(a)] is presented. The reaction of 1,2-propanediol CH[sub 3] CH(OH)CH[sub 2] OH with oxygen-activated Ag(110) has been compared with that of 1,3-propanediol HOCH[sub 2]CH[sub 2]CH[sub 2]OH to evaluate the effects of varying the position of O-H bonds in both diols to produce the corresponding dialkoxides.

Research Organization:
Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
OSTI ID:
6980999
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English