Oxidation of methane over H-ZSM5 and other catalysts

The oxidation of methane has been studied in a flow system over an H-ZSM5 catalyst, using dioxygen and nitrous oxide as oxidants. Reaction with dioxygen gave only carbon dioxide product over a wide range of experimental conditions. However, reaction with nitrous oxide resulted in the production of carbon oxides, methanol, formaldehyde, lower olefins (ethylene and propylene) and C 6 C 12 aromatics. It is concluded that methanol is a primary oxidation product which may undergo further oxidation to formaldehyde and to carbon oxides, but which may also undergo conversion over the acidic catalyst to olefins and aromatics. Methane oxidation has also been examined over a range of other catalysts, some of which have been reported in the literature to yield partial oxidation products, but all gave only carbon oxide products.