title: Protolytic decomposition of n-octane on graphite at near room temperature.
abstract: Graphite basal surface is inert, and decomposition of n-alkanes on the graphite surface has not been discovered. We here report the evidence of decomposition of n-octanes on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface, heat-treated up to 1200 °C under high vacuum (10(-7) Pa), at near room temperatures. Using a temperature programmed desorption apparatus equipped with a quadrupole mass spectrometer showed the production of hydrogen molecules, methane, and ethane, suggesting that the protonation of n-octane takes place on graphite surface at near room temperature. It is known that acidic functional groups are terminated at edges on the air-cleaved HOPG surface and they increase their acidity via reactions with water. However, it is most unlikely that they protonate n-alkanes at near room temperature such as superacids. We anticipate that superacidic protons, which can protonate n-octanes, are produced on the graphite surface through a novel reaction mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Precision Engineering, School of Engineering, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Electronics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 S3-33 O-okayama, Meguro-ku Tokyo 152-8552, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsumasa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwamoto