Infra-red reflection absorption spectroscopic study on adsorption structures of acrolein on polycrystalline gold and Au(111) surfaces under ultra-high vacuum conditions

Abstract

Infra-red reflection absorption (IRA) spectra were measured at 80 K under ultra-high vacuum conditions for acrolein adsorbed on two kinds of gold films; Au(111) and polycrystalline gold surfaces. Upon increasing the amount of exposure from 0.02 to 200 L (1 L=1×10 −6 Torr·s), the adsorbate at Au(111) gave rise to a series of sharp IRA bands due to a CH 2 out-of-plane wagging vibration [ ω(CH 2)] successively, indicating discrete adsorption states, i.e. 964 (type 1)→978(type 1′)→991(type 2)→1003 cm −1(type 3). All these states have the molecular plane parallel to the surface; type 1 is in an isolated state, and type 2 is in an associated state with a two-dimensional arrangement, whereas type 3 forms an ordered multilayered structure. Type 1′ was tentatively assigned either to a trapped state at step sites or to an associated state forming small oligomers at the surface. Only type 3 gives rise to IRA bands due to ν(CO), which appears at 1677 cm −1 as a singlet at relatively small exposure levels and splits into doublets, giving the 1686 and 1672 cm −1 components at 2.0 L. The doublets were explained as being due to a crystal field splitting, which conforms to the fact that the adsorbate forms an ordered three-dimensional arrangement. The IRA spectrum of type 3 is readily converted to that of a more stable polycrystalline state upon increasing the temperature from 80 to 100 K. Thus, type 3 is a thermodynamically metastable state. Acrolein adsorbed on a polycrystalline gold film assumes an amorphous state in the exposure level of 0.06–4.8 L, giving broad IRA bands due to ν(CO) and ω(CH 2) in the 1686–1699 and 974–991 cm −1 regions, respectively. The IRA spectra of acrolein adsorbed on Ag(111) were also measured, which indicated that the adsorbates exist in a less ordered state than those on Au(111), although a multilayered structure gives IRA features that are almost identical with those of type 3.