2754a.     PROBST, R. E., MEYERSON, S., AND SEELIG, H. S.  Adsorption and Reaction of Carbon Monoxide on Promoted-Iron Catalysts.  Jour. Am. Chem. Soc., vol. 74, 1952, pp. 2115-2116.

        In a study of the adsorption of CO on Fe catalysts, it was found that chemical reactions occur that produce Fe pentacarbonyl and CO₂.  The adsorption apparatus was of conventional design and was operated at constant pressure.  The Fe catalyst was of the usual type used for the synthesis of hydrocarbons from CO and H₂.  It consisted of mill scale in powdered form finer than 100 mesh. promoted with 0.5 wt. % K₂O.  After reduction with H₂ at 340° under 250 p.s.i., the catalyst was degassed at 450° until a pressure of 1.5X10^-6 mm. was obtained.  The gas used contained 98.4 vol. % CO, 0.1 CO₂, 0.7 H₂, and 0.8 N₂.  Four adsorption isotherms were measured at 0°, 25°, 65°, and 108° at 280 mm. pressure.  After 144 hr. analysis was made of the gas in the adsorption cell revealing Fe pentacarbonyl and large amounts of CO₂.  The results indicate that, at temperatures as low as 25°, CO will react with reduced Fe to form Fe(CO)₅.  The CO₂ could have been produced by the Fe-catalyzed conversion of CO presumably Fe carbide, were produced by the decomposition of Fe(CO)₅.