The chemistry of dimethyltetrazine on Pt(111)

As part of a program to further document the chemistry of CN on transition metal surfaces we have studied the decomposition of dimethyltetrazine on Pt(111). Products of the decomposition of dimethyltetrazine are H₂, N₂, HCN, C₂N₂ and small amounts of CH₃CN. Most of the methyl groups (>90%) are totally dehydrogenated leaving residual carbon on the surface. At low coverage the initial decomposition is CH bond cleavage. At higher coverage direct production of molecular N₂ at ~30°C is observed as the initial decomposition mode. Pretreatment of the Pt with H₂, shifts the high coverage decomposition to higher temperatures. Changes in the decomposition with coverage is explained as due to a change in bonding geometry. We suggest that at low coverage the molecular plane is parallel to the surface with the methyl groups in proximity to the surface, while at high coverage the molecule bonds on edge possibly through two adjacent nitrogens.