This grant is in the general area of analytical and surface chemistry and in the subfield of organometallic surface chemistry. Professor Robert Madix will study the chemical reactions of hydrocarbon and alcohol molecules with well defined single crystal active metal surfaces (e.g. iron and silver). The classes of reactions under study are important models for complex homogeneous metal catalyzed organic chemistry. These studies will provide information about the reaction rates and structures of the reactants, intermediates and products formed during model reactions. Fundamental information about the role of molecular structure and metal surface chemistry will help provide general principles of catalytic reactions. The carbon monoxide promoted hydrogenation of alkenes over iron catalysts and ?4+2! cycloadditions catalyzed on silver surfaces will be the two systems under study. Vibrational spectroscopy, thermal desorption reaction mass spectrometry, work function and photoelectron spectroscopy will be used to study structure and kinetics of carbon monoxide-ethylene coadsorbed on iron (100) and butadiene reactions on silver (110), copper (110) and palladium (111) surfaces. The effects of orientational changes of reactants on their reactivity will be examined by vibrational spectroscopy and near edge x-ray absorption fine structure.
