title: Selectivity control in gold-mediated esterification of methanol.
abstract: The Midas touch: The low-temperature transformation of methanol to methyl formate, formaldehyde, and formic acid is promoted by atomic oxygen adsorbed on metallic gold (see picture). The reactions occur with O-containing Au nanoparticles formed on Au(111) upon oxidation with ozone at 200 K; the facile esterification to methyl formate occurs well below room temperature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Bingjun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haubrich
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Madix
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Friend