Photoemission study on the adsorption of ethanol on clean and oxidized rutile TiO2(110)-1 × 1 surfaces

► Dissociative adsorption of ethanol on TiO2 induces a change in the band-gap state. ► The gap state is suppressed/enhanced on the reduced/oxidized TiO2 surface. ► Pre-adsorbed ethanol on TiO2 suppresses RT-oxidation of subsurface Ti3+ with O2.