The adsorption of carbon monoxide at the defect-free (1 0 0), (1 1 0) and (2 1 0) five-atomic layer slab of the three oxides: MgO, CaO, and SrO has been investigated using the periodic Hartree-Fock level of ab initio theory, together with the 1 x 1 supercell model. All the calculated CO/oxide interaction energies exhibit exothermic character. The HF interaction energies increase monotonically in the order MgO < CaO < SrO. The surface morphology of adsorbate/substrate interaction is confirmed by considering relaxation energies, Mulliken population analysis, charge density contours, and electrostatic potential maps. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.