Catalytic reactions of acetyl compounds on Ni(111)

Abstract

The surface chemistry of acetyl bromide, acetyl chloride, acetyl chloride-d3, acetyl-13C1-chloride, acetic anhydride and acetyl cyanide have been investigated on clean and coadsorbate-modified Ni(111) using reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy. On O-precovered Ni(111), all the molecules have been found to undergo nucleophilic substitution reaction with the O adatoms to give acetate. On clean Ni(111), acetyl chloride reacts to give acetic anhydride. Acetyl cyanide adsorbs on the clean surface via either di-sigma bonding of the carbonyl group or dative bonding through the carbonyl O lone pair electrons. Acetyl species have been synthesized from the dissociation of acetyl halides and acetic anhydride on CO-precovered Ni(111).