An FT-IR study of the adsorption and reactivity of tert-butyl hydroperoxide over oxide catalysts Original Research Article

The adsorption of tert-butyl hydroperoxide over zirconia, alumina, vanadia–zirconia and vanadia–alumina catalysts from gas phase has been investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy. The formation of surface tert-butylperoxide species has been observed. These species give rise to different kinds of transformation, producing surface tert-butoxide, formate, acetate and acetone species, to which correspond gas-phase acetone, methanol, isobutene, water and (probably) oxygen. Surface vanadyl species are involved in this chemistry and enhance the rate of these reactions.