Low-Temperature One-Step Conversion of Methane to Methanol and Acetic Acid with Supported Rhodium Single Cations Using Molecular Oxygen

摘要

Methane, the main component of natural gas, is the most stable hydrocarbon. The first C-H bond in methane possesses bond energy of ~104 kcal/mol. Due to the recent breakthrough in hydraulic fracturing, there has been renewed interest in methane conversion to valuable liquid oxygenates. The industrial process to synthesize oxygenates from methane involves first converting methane to syngas and then perform methanol synthesis and methanol carbonylation as separate steps. This process is energy intensive and not economical for small scale production. On the other hand, one-step conversion which utilizes oxidation reaction at mild conditions, offers an alternative small-scale process. The potential application of this process to stranded natural gas is highly desirable.