Inelastic electron tunnelling spectroscopy (IETS) of carboxylic acids and related systems chemisorbed on plasmagrown aluminium oxide. Part 3.—Propanoic acid, butanoic acid and butanal, octanoic acid, dodecanal, hexadecanal and octadecanal

Abstract

A study of the inelastic electron tunnelling spectra (IETS) of propanoic acid, butanoic acid and octanoic acid shows that these chemisorb from the vapour on to plasma-grown aluminium oxide to give the corresponding C₃, C₄ and C₈ surface-bound alkanoate species. The IET spectra of butanal, dodecanol, hexadecanal and octadecanal show that these, following oxidation at the oxide surface, are also adsorbed as the corresponding C₄, C₁₂, C₁₆ and C₁₈ alkanoates. The band intensities and band progressions present are discussed.