DRIFTS investigation of toluene oxidation on CeO2 nanoparticles

The oxidation mechanism of toluene on the surface heat-treated CeO2 nanoparticles was investigated using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). When introduced to surface, either chemisorbs an oxygen bound a single cerium atom creating monobound (m) benzyloxy or two neighboring atoms forming bridged (b) benzyloxy. From DRIFTS analysis, benzoate production is directly dependent presence and b-benzyloxy groups. Using temperature peak height analysis spectra, state specific vs(OCO) bands bidentate (bdt) groups are identified through pairing with their va(OCO) counterparts. Surface lattice oxygens b‑hydroxyl found facilitate chemisorption as Once reacts substrate, hydroxyls react m-benzyloxy create additional well enabling transformation bdt-benzoate previously unclear intermediate steps species role in said unveiled use collected spectra.