Anticipating catalytic oxidation reactions on gold at high pressure (including liquid phase) from ultrahigh vacuum studies

Evidence for the mechanistic link between low pressure studies and the high pressure, aqueous phase, catalytic partial oxidation reactions of ethanol on gold is provided. The oxidation of ethanol on gold (111) leads to the formation of ethyl acetate and acetic acid, as was also reported for this reaction over supported gold catalysts in aqueous phase. This reaction follows a pattern previously observed in ultrahigh vacuum on both silver and gold single crystals. The formation of both acetic acid and ethyl acetate in solution can be anticipated from prior experiments on single-crystal surfaces in ultrahigh vacuum, showing a strong parallel between the oxidation behavior of gold under these extremely different conditions. This parallel suggests that other oxidation reactions on gold may be anticipated from previous studies at low pressure and may serve as a guide for their prediction even in the liquid phase.