Selectivity control in gold-mediated esterification of methanol.
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.
Xu
Bingjun
B
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Liu
Xiaoying
X
Haubrich
Jan
J
Madix
Robert J
RJ
Friend
Cynthia M
CM