Vibrational spectroscopy of cinnamaldehyde on graphite and supported Pd islands

We report the first experimental study of the adsorption of cinnamaldehyde on surfaces under ultra high vacuum (UHV) conditions. Cinnamaldehyde is an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde with important applications in the fine chemicals sector. High-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) is employed to investigate the vibrational modes of cinnamaldehyde condensed on graphite at 100 K and absorbed on the surface of a Pd islands film (supported on graphite), also at 100 K. In the case of the Pd film, we find strong evidence for a parallel orientation of the phenyl ring consistent with theoretical calculations.