The conversion of propionyl, the most stable dehydrogenation product of 1-propanol on flat and stepped Pt(111) surfaces is explored computationally as a model for the transformation of alcohols on Pt to CO2 and hydrocarbons. We studied a reaction network in which dehydrogenation steps or hydroxyl insertion may precede the desired C-C cleavage, via either decarboxylation or decarbonylation. In the latter case, CO2 will be obtained via a subsequent water-gas-shift reaction. On a flat surface, the decarbonylation pathway with the highest barrier of 91 kJ mol(-1) was calculated to be preferred, as the decarboxylation reactions are inaccessible because of high barriers of the preceding dehydrogenations, 129 kJ mol(-1), or the C-C bond scission itself, 204 kJ mol(-1). At step defects the highest barrier for decarboxylation was determined to be notably lower, at 86 kJ mol(-1), making this pathway competitive for C-C scission.
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The conversion of propionyl, the most stable dehydrogenation product of 1-propanol on flat and stepped Pt(111) surfaces is explored computationally as a model for the transformation of alcohols on Pt to CO2 and hydrocarbons. We studied a reaction network in which dehydrogenation steps or hydroxyl insertion may precede the desired C-C cleavage, via either decarboxylation or decarbonylation. In the latter case, CO2 will be obtained via a subsequent water-gas-shift reaction. On a flat surface, the...
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