Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and first principles theoretical calculations have been used to gain insight into the fundamental processes involved in the adsorption and self-assembly of oxalic acid on Cu(111). The experimental data demonstrate that several reaction pathways are involved in the chemisorption of oxalic acid on Cu(111), one of which leads to deprotonation of the acid into oxalate molecules that form ordered structures on the surface. Theoretical calculations indicate that the adsorption of oxalate molecules is not stable on the surface unless copper adatoms are taken into consideration. Coordination with copper adatoms prevents oxalate molecules from getting closer to the substrate, precluding the expected decomposition of oxalate into carbon dioxide. Our results, thus, suggest that the 2D gas of diffusing copper adatoms might play a very important role in the self-assembly of the molecules not only by catalyzing the deprotonation of oxalic acid but also by decreasing the surface reactivity. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

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