Interactions of butyl alcohols with flash-illuminated rutile surfaces

Abstract

A dynamic mass spectrometric technique has been utilised to observe, and to follow the time profiles of, transient changes in composition of the gas phase above flash-illuminated butyl alcohol/TiO₂ interfaces. Using t-butanol, the flash-initiated production of isobutene and acetone was detected, and each displayed different time profiles for growth and decay after the flash. Incorporation of ¹⁸O into the acetone product when mixtures of t-butanol and ¹⁸O₂ were flash-illuminated showed that oxidation of isobutene contributed to acetone formation. Using isobutanol, the only major product was isobutyraldehyde, which indicates different pathways for reaction of the primary and tertiary alcohols.