Interaction of methanol with ruthenium

The interaction of methanol with a clean (110) ruthenium surface has been studied using temperatures programmed desorption methods. Methanol dissociates upon adsorption at 300 K and yields H₂(g) and chemisorbed CO as the dominant products. Randomization of evolved hydrogen was shown to occur during methanol adsorption and also upon subsequent thermal desorption using isotopically labeled methanol, CH₃OD. In addition to hydrogen and CO, small amounts of H₂CO, CH₃OH, CO₂, and H₂O, are also observed upon thermal desorption. In contrast with a previous study of formaldehyde on Ru(110), no detectable CH₄ product is found upon methanol desorption.