Based on self-consistent density functional calculations it is shown that a new dissociation process for CO adsorbed on a Ru(0001) surface is made possible when the distance to a second Ru(0001) surface placed just above it is below some critical value. This '3D' process is more facile than the usual single surface ('2D') process because indirect adsorbate-adsorbate interactions in the transition state are absent in the '3D' case. The prospects for STM-induced single molecule chemistry and for '3D' catalysts are discussed.