Step 1 is the same as the main pathway In conclusion, the unrealistic rate of progress of the reaction CH 3 ⇤ + OH⇤ ! CH 3 OH + 2 ⇤ was responsible for the low reactivity of the CMPO model on metal ( E C = 6.0 eV, E O = 3.25 eV), and the BMA is able to raise the activation energy to prevent it. Consequently, a higher overall reactivity is seen on the same metal for the CMPO-BMA model.