IN SITU DRIFTS/MS STUDIES ON THE INTERACTION OF METHANOL AND ETHYL ACETATE OVER MG-LA CATALYST

The surface intermediates formed on the Mg-La catalyst (molar ratio 1:1) were studied through temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy coupled to mass spectrometry (DRIFTS-MS) using methanol (MeOH) and ethyl acetate (EA) as probe molecules. TPD results showed that the products formed from adsorbed MeOH were hydrogen and formaldehyde, whereas EA produced hydrogen, ethanol, and acetone. DRIFTS-MS of a MeOH and EA mixture results showed that methanol adsorbs as methoxy species on the catalyst surface, and EA adsorbs through the oxygen of carbonyl groups forming ethoxy and acetate species. The reaction of the adsorbed intermediate species resulted in the formation of methane, CO2 gas phase, ethanol, and methyl acetate. Also, methanol adsorbed preferentially on the basic site and EA in a dissociative form. Surface intermediates identification allowed to confirm that the Eley-Rideal type mechanism was predominant on the catalyst surface studied.