Surface chemistry of fluoroethanols

The adsorption and thermal decomposition of 2,2-difluoroethanol, CF2H-CH2-OH, on a high-surface-area Al2O3 surface were investigated by FTIR under high vacuum conditions. IR spectra have been collected in 4000-1000 cm−1 range and spectral assignments have been made. The spectral evidence indicated that CF2H-CH2-OH decomposed to form fluorinated surface ethoxide at 250 K and at 400 K and higher temperatures, surface ethoxide decomposed further with the formation of surface acetate. Surface isolated hydroxyl groups participated in the adsorption/decomposition process. A reaction mechanism is proposed.