Synthesis of dimethyl ether from methane mediated by HBr

Dimethyl ether (DME) was synthesized from methane through a two-step process, in which CH3Br was prepared from the oxidative bromination reaction of methane in the presence of HBr and oxygen over a Rh-SiO2 catalyst and then, in the second step, CH3Br was hydrolyzed to DME over a silica supported metal chloride catalyst. 12 mol%ZnCl2/SiO2 catalyst was found to be the most active, but it deactivated because of Cl− losing.