The infrared emission spectra of CO adsorbed on alumina-supported 1, 3, and 5 wt % Rh, Ir, and Pt metal-containing catalysts were studied at 423 and 473 K. While CO is adsorbed in dicarbonyl (dimer), linearly (on-top) bonded and bridged carbonyl forms on rhodium and platinum, the dimer form is dominant on iridium. The relative intensity of Rh-CO and Ir-CO linear bands decrease with increasing temperature compared to the intensity of the dicarbonyl bands; the corresponding bands on Pt behave the opposite way. Two dicarbonyl and two linear Pt-CO bands were identified in the infrared spectra of Pt/Al(2)O(3) catalysts. The surface structure (kinked or planar Pt atoms), the dispersity of the metal, the temperature, and the quantity of adsorbed CO on the surfaces all have an effect on the fine structure of the Pt-CO stretching bands. The metal-carbon and CO stretching force constants were calculated for surface dicarbonyl, linearly bonded CO, and bridged carbonyl species. The metal-carbon stretching wavenumbers and force constants were predicted and compared between surface species and metal carbonyl complexes. The iridium-carbon bonds were found always stronger than the Rh-C and Pt-C ones in all surface species. The observed stretching wavenumbers and force constants seem to support the idea that CO and metal-carbon bonds are always stronger in metal carbonyl complexes than in adsorbed surface species. The distribution and mode of CO adsorption on surface metal sites can be effectively studied by means of infrared emission spectroscopy.