Active sites on oxide surfaces: ZnO-catalyzed synthesis of methanol from CO and H2

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/anie.200462374

(Chemical Equation Presented) Is this place taken? A mechanism has been proposed for the formation of methanol from CO and H₂ on ZnO surfaces in which CO is adsorbed at oxygen vacancies on the heterogeneous catalyst (see picture: C red, H white, O gray, Zn black). The active sites are blocked when CO₂ is added to the gas mixture.