CATALYTIC TRANSFORMATIONS OF METHANE, ETHANE AND PROPANE TO LOWER OLEFINS IN THE PRESENCE OF HYDROGEN CHLORIDE AND OXYGEN

摘要

Lower alkanes are the major constituents of abundant gas resources such as natural gas, shale gas and biogas. The transformation of methane as well as other lower alkanes such as ethane and propane into olefins and oxygenates, which are key building-block chemicals, is one of the most challenging goals in catalysis. The current route for the chemical utilization of methane involves the steam reforming of methane to syngas, which is then transformed into chemicals via methanol or Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. However, the steam reforming of methane is an energy-consuming and cost-intensive process. The direct conversion of methane into valuable chemicals is the most desirable route, but the yield of target product is generally too low to be commercially viable. The development of new routes for methane and other lower alkane conversions has attracted much attention from both practical and fundamental viewpoints.