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The regioselectivity of deuterium (D) atom addition to 1-butene and 1-pentene monolayers adsorbed on the (100) surface of copper at 100 K was explained. It was previously established that hydrogen atoms intruding from the gas phase were capable of reacting with monolayer olefin molecules adsorbed on metal surfaces. It was revealed that the 2-butyl groups were the predominant product generated and formed in a D addition to terminal carbons of surface-bound butene molecules.

Monolayers of pure hydrocarbon fragments, generated and isolated at cryogenic temperatures, are intermediates in heterogeneous catalysis. The focus of attention shifted through time from highly dehydrogenated stable fragments to highly dehydrogenated reactive species, such as surface alkyls. Isolation of high coverages of these species enables the identification of fundamental reaction steps, such as beta-hydride elimination.

Temperature-programmed desorption was used to study the adsorption and thermal decomposition of 1-iodopropane on Cu(110). Results show that iodopropane adsorption on the surface is intact at 100 K. It starts to dissociate when the surface temperature is raised to 110 K. It then forms adsorbed propyl groups which orient with the C3v axis of the methyl group along the surface normal.