Selective Oxidation of Methane and Its Homologues to Alcohols Catalyzed by Gold Compounds and a Proposed Reaction Mechanism

摘要

Gold complexes with the bioflavonoid rutin in water catalyze the selective oxidation of methane to methanol by air at room temperature and atmospheric pressure like it occurs in bacteria Micrococcus luteus [1]. The present work is aimed at extending the scope of substrates to the nearest methane homologues, ethane and propane, and at studying the mechanism of oxidation of methane and its homologues.