Infrared study of the adsorption of ethyl acetate on rutile

Abstract

Infrared spectra of ethyl acetate adsorbed on rutile at the solid/vapour interface are reported. Dissociative chemisorption gave surface acetate and ethoxide ions. Reactions involving surface hydroxyl groups generated acetic acid which was weakly adsorbed and could be removed by evacuation at room temperature. The relative reactivities towards ethyl acetate of four types of hydroxyl group characterized by distinguishable infrared bands are discussed. Hydroxyl groups responsible for a maximum at 3410 cm^–1 are inaccessible to organic adsorbates and possibly exist at sub-surface lattice sites.

Spectra of acetic acid adsorbed on rutile are briefly reported.