Rate-Determining Step or Rate-Determining Configuration? The Deacon Reaction over RuO2(110) Studied by DFT-Based KMC Simulations

Ab initio kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) is successfully applied to simulate the experimentally observed promoting effect of O-2 on the HCI oxidation reaction (Deacon process) catalyzed by RuO2(110). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide, in addition to the adsorption energies of reaction intermediates and activation energies, also interaction energies between the adsorbates within the cluster expansion approach. KMC simulations with this extended set of energy parameters were analyzed employing the concept of degree of rate control. In contrast to previous propositions, our simulations indicate that neither the dissociative O-2 adsorption (the sterically hindered first reaction step) nor the associative desorption of chlorine (the step with the highest activation energy) are rate determining under typical formation determines the rate of the overall reaction. These hy be strongly configuration controlled.