Thermal evolution of acetylene and ethylene on Pd(111)

The thermal evolution of acetylene and ethylene and their deuterated counterparts on a palladium (111) surface has been studied by high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy in the temperature range 150–500 K. Analysis of the vibrational spectra indicates that chemisorbed acetylene evolves at 300 K in the presence of surface hydrogen to mainly ethylidyne, CCH₃, and a small amount of residual acetylene. Spectra obtained with and without preadsorbed hydrogen provide evidence for a 〉C CH₂ intermediate in the reaction. Chemisorbed ethylene also evolves to ethylidyne after heating from 150 to 300 K but much of the ethylene desorbs. The high temperature (400–500 K) behavior of C₂H₂ and C₂H₄ involves formation of a CH species. Although a small amount of the CH species may be formed from the dehydrogenation of ethylidyne, it is found that carbon-carbon bond scission of acetylene near 400 K is the dominant mechanism in CH formation.