The adsorption of acetone and its co-adsorption with CO were studied o
n a solid state ion exchanged Cu-ZSM-5 catalyst using in situ Fourier
transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The C-O stretching vibrational
band of adsorbed acetone at Cu1+ is centered at 1671 cm(-1), red-shif
ted by 48 cm(-1) in comparison to that in the gas phase. Adsorbed acet
one at the Cu1+ site does not eliminate the adsorption of CO onto the
same cationic center (and vice-versa); however, the strength of the CO
binding is suggested to be weaker to the {Cu[(CH3)(2)CO]}(+) center t
han to the adsorbate free Cu1+ site and is manifested by a 28 cm(-1) r
ed-shift in the C-O stretching frequency of adsorbed CO in the former
complex in comparison to the latter complex. The position of the C-O s
tretching vibrational band of adsorbed acetone blue-shifts by about 20
cm(-1) as a result of the presence of CO on the cationic center. The
changes in the C-O stretching vibrational frequencies of the absorptio
n features of the two adsorbate molecules can be rationalized by the c
hanges in the electronic environment at the Cu1+ adsorption center.