Surface reactions of ethylene with deuterium, oxygen and nitrogen oxide on rhodium : kinetics and mechanism

The kinetics of surface reactions of ethylene adsorbed on the (111) surface of a rhodium single crystal has been investigated by means of temperature-programmed desorption and static secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SSIMS). These reactions include the decomposition of ethylene to ethylidyne (=CCH3), and the exchange of H for D-atoms in the latter, the oxidation of adsorbed ethylene and its reaction with coadsorbed NO. The formation of relatively large amounts of HCN indicates that C-N coupling on rhodium is possible under mild conditions