A FTIR STUDY OF ETHYLENE OXIDATION ON AN RU ZNO SYSTEM/

The interaction of ethylene with a highly dispersed and oxidized Ru/Zn O catalyst has been studied at room temperature (RT) by FTIR spectrosc opy. A fast oxidative reaction at RT produces a glycolate-like species strongly adsorbed on the surface, and at the same time the depletion of a strong and narrow band assigned to an Ru=O surface group. The ass ignment of the spectrum of a C2H4O2 complex, characterized by two inte nse bands at 1035 and 890 cm-1 and by 10 other bands in the range 3000 -700 cm-1, is performed on the basis of a C2nu symmetry and confirmed by C2D4 oxidation data; this assignment is performed by comparison of our spectra with the literature data for ethylene glycol and related c omplexes. A long oxidative reaction at RT with formation of formate an d carboxylate-like species at the expense of the glycolate was also ob served.