Reaction Pathways for Glucose and Related Oxygenates on Pd(111) and Pt(111)

Adsorption configurations and reactive intermediates of glucose and model compounds glycolaldehyde and glyceraldehyde were determined in an experimental and density functional theory surface science study of sugars on Pd(111). A reaction pathway for aldoses on Pd catalysts is proposed and implications of molecular functionality for surrogate compounds are discussed.