The reaction pathways of 1-propanethiol, 1-propanol, and propylamine molecules, containing a propyl moiety, on a Ge(100) surface were investigated using high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy (HRPES) experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Upon analysis of the HRPES data, the adsorption of 1-propanethiol and 1-propanol was found to occur through a dissociation reaction, whereas that of propylamine took place via N dative bonding at room temper-ature. On the basis of our DFT results, adsorption geometries and transition states for each of these molecules on the Ge(100) surface were confirmed. Systematic studies of S-, O-, and Ncontaining molecules, composed of an identical propyl moiety, on the Ge(100) surface provide insight into the adsorption mechanism of aliphatic molecules containing alkyl chains on the Ge(100) surface.