Abstract

We present a comparative density functional theory investigation of the furfural (Ff ) molecule on the
low index Ni, Pd and Pt surfaces to understand their geometrical and the electronic properties to gain
mechanistic insights into the experimentally measured catalytic reactivities of these metal catalysts.
We show that the number of metal d-states, which hybridize with the nearest C and O p-orbitals of
the Ff molecule, can be used to explain the stability of the Ff molecule on these surfaces. We find
that the hybridization between atoms with higher electronegativity and the metal d-states plays a
crucial role in determining the stability of these systems. Furthermore, we also find that electron
transfer from metal to the Ff molecule on the Ni and Pd surfaces, while a reverse process occurring
on the Pt surface.