SCANNING-TUNNELING-MICROSCOPY STUDIES OF FORMALDEHYDE SYNTHESIS ON CU(110)

The synthesis of formaldehyde from methanol on oxygen-predosed Cu(110) surfaces has been studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Sequential STM images show the shrinking of the (2 x 1) Cu-O islands i n the [001] direction and the formation of a (5 x 2) methoxy-induced r econstruction that incorporates the added-row Cu atoms of the (2 x 1) reconstruction. The decomposition of methoxy to formaldehyde occurs up on desorption; STM images show methoxy islands shrinking in the [001] direction and the release of incorporated Cu atoms.