Carbon-carbon coupling from formaldehyde reaction on Mo(110)

Formaldehyde (CH2O) reaction on Mo(110) is studied with temperature program med reaction and infrared reflectance absorbance spectroscopy. We present p reliminary results which demonstrate the evolution of gas-phase ethylene fr om the formaldehyde reaction, to the best of our knowledge the first exampl e of carbon-carbon bond formation on clean Mo(110). This reaction is propos ed to proceed via an ethylene dialkoxide intermediate, analogous to that fo rmed during reaction of ethylene glycol on Mo(110). Other reactions include hydrogenation of CH2O to form a methoxy intermediate which subsequently un dergoes C-O bond scission to evolve gas-phase methyl radicals at similar to 600 K. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.