Abstract
This work spectroscopically confirms the oxidizing power of the α-Fe 2O 3 surface toward methanol, formaldehyde, and formic acid, at infrared-beam or higher temperatures. Oxidation reactions take place with formation of chemisorbed formate and carbonate ions and a corresponding oxygen depletion from the surface, identified through the activation of a new characteristic band of the iron oxide adsorbent. Methanol and formic acid can both physisorb via H-bonding (where they act as proton donors) and chemisorb respectively as methoxy groups (via a condensation reaction with surface hydroxyls) and formate ions (via an acid-base reaction). Formic acid molecules as well as formaldehyde molecules can also exist as such, coordinated to Lewis acid sites of the surface through their carboxylic oxygen. Formaldehyde, however, shows additional bands which can be tentatively identified as polymeric compounds.
Published Version
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