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The product selectivity of the photocatalytic reaction of methanol with water is changed drastically by the addition of alkali metal cations to Rh- and Pd-loaded TiO 2 catalysts. Over alkali metal cation free catalysts, the main products are 1:1 ratio of H 2 and dimethoxymethane, which is replaced with H 2 , methyl formate, and CO 2 over alkali metal cation added catalysts. The role of added alkali metal cations is the stabilization of the reaction intermediate as adsorbed formate instead of adsorbed formaldehyde, which causes the selectivity change from dimethoxymethane to methyl formate.
Shuichi Naito (Mon,) studied this question.