The performance and mechanism of heterogeneous catalytic reactions are fundamentally governed by the formation, stability, and reactivity of transient surface intermediates. These species—such as isocyanates, alkyl groups, carboxylates, formates, carbonates, alkoxy and acyl intermediates—often exist at low concentrations and with short lifetimes, making their identification challenging. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the formation, spectroscopic identification, and thermal behavior of these intermediates on metal single crystals, metal nanoparticles, and oxide-supported catalysts. Emphasis is placed on key reactions including CO and NO oxidation–reduction, CO and CO2 hydrogenation, Fischer–Tropsch-related pathways, and reforming of ethanol. Advanced surface-sensitive techniques (TDS, XPS, UPS, IR, HREELS) are highlighted for their role in elucidating intermediate structures and reaction pathways. The isocyanate surface complex is an existing intermediate in NO reduction with CO, and NCO is responsible for NH3 formation. Alkyl groups can be prepared from thermal- or photo-induced dissociation of alkyl halogenide. Oxygen-containing intermediates relevant to CO2 hydrogenation are addressed, with particular attention to formate, carboxylate, and related species. M/CeO2 (M = Pt, Rh, Ir, Ru) seems to be the best catalyst for hydrogen production from ethanol reforming. The nature of support may affect hydrogen production. The review also discusses how metal–support interactions, particle size, and surface morphology influence intermediate stability and catalytic selectivity. Overall, the work provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how transient surface complexes control technologically important catalytic transformations.
Kiss et al. (2026) studied this question.