Catalytic perfomance of rhodium chalcogen halides and rhodium chalcogenides over silica supports in methane oxidative carbonylation

The gas phase methane oxidative carbonylation was studied in the presence of molecular oxygen over silica materials including their mechanical mixtures with rhodium chalcogen chlorides obtained in non-aqueous inorganic media. The formation of Rh4SCl7, Rh4S9Cl2, Rh4Se5Cl3 and Rh3Se3Cl solids was confirmed by elemental analysis, IR absorption spectroscopy, XPS and X-ray diffraction. Silica, vanadium-, and molybdenum-containing mesoporous molecular sieves have been used as supports. It was found that productivity of oxygenates (methanol, methyl acetate and acetic acid) depends mainly on the method of the catalyst preparation and the type of the support.