Activation of O–H and C–O bonds of methanol by photoexcited iron atoms

Abstract

The activation of the O–H and C–O bonds of methanol has accomplished by photoexcitation of the Fe(MeOH) adduct, formed the cocondensation of iron-methanol with excess of argon at 14K, in the violet (400 nm < λ < 500 nm) and u.v.(280 nm < λ < 360 nm) regions, respectively; prolonged u.v. photolysis leads to the formation of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, an interesting observation in that it apparently represents the reverse of the Fischer–Tropsch process for methanol synthesis.