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Methanol Conversion into Dimethyl Ether on the Anatase TiO 2 (001) Surface
Author(s) -
Xiong Feng,
Yu YanYan,
Wu Zongfang,
Sun Guanghui,
Ding Liangbing,
Jin Yuekang,
Gong XueQing,
Huang Weixin
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201509021
Subject(s) - dimethyl ether , methanol , anatase , catalysis , chemistry , adsorption , reactivity (psychology) , photocatalysis , ether , inorganic chemistry , photochemistry , organic chemistry , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
Exploring reactions of methanol on TiO 2 surfaces is of great importance in both C1 chemistry and photocatalysis. Reported herein is a combined experimental and theoretical calculation study of methanol adsorption and reaction on a mineral anatase TiO 2 (001)‐(1×4) surface. The methanol‐to‐dimethyl ether (DME) reaction was unambiguously identified to occur by the dehydration coupling of methoxy species at the fourfold‐coordinated Ti 4+ sites (Ti 4c ), and for the first time confirms the predicted higher reactivity of this facet compared to other reported TiO 2 facets. Surface chemistry of methanol on the anatase TiO 2 (001)‐(1×4) surface is seldom affected by co‐chemisorbed water. These results not only greatly deepen the fundamental understanding of elementary surface reactions of methanol on TiO 2 surfaces but also show that TiO 2 with a high density of Ti 4c sites is a potentially active and selective catalyst for the important methanol‐to‐DME reaction.