Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has been employed to investigate the N(CH3)3 adsorption, thermal stability, and photochemical reactions on powdered TiO2. N(CH3)3 molecules are adsorbed on TiO2 without dissociation at 35 degrees C and are completely desorbed from the surface at 300 degrees C in a vacuum. The CH3 rocking frequencies of N(CH3)3 on TiO2 are affected via the interaction between N(CH3)3 and TiO2 surface OH groups. In the presence of O2, adsorbed N(CH3)3 decomposes thermally at 230 degrees C and photochemically under UV irradiation. In the latter case with comparative (16)O2 and (18)O2 studies, CO2(g), NCO(a), HCOO(a), and surface species containing C=N or NH(x) functional groups are identified to be the photoreaction products or intermediates. In the presence of (18)O2, the main formate species formed is HC(16)O(18)O(a). As H2O is added to the photoreaction system, a larger percentage of adsorbed N(CH3)3 is consumed. However, in the presence of (18)O2 and H2O, the amount of HC(16)O(18)O(a) becomes relatively small, compared to HC(16)O(16)O(a). A mechanism is invoked to explain these results. Furthermore, based on the comparison of isotopic oxygens in the formate products obtained from CH3O(a) photooxidation in (16)O2 and (18)O2, it is concluded that the N(CH3)3 photooxidation does not generate CH3O(a) in which the oxygen belongs to TiO2.