Preparation and reactions of V2O5 supported on TiO2(110)

Submonolayer to multi-layer quantities of vanadia in the +5 oxidation state were successfully prepared on TiO2(1 1 0) by codosing VOCl3 and water vapor. This vanadia selectively oxidizes methanol to formaldehyde with concomitant reduction of the vanadium cation to V3+. Reoxidation to V5+ is easily accomplished by reaction with dioxygen. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.