A silica-immobilized Pt2+ catalyst for the selective, aerobic oxidation of methane via an electron-transfer chain

The combination of Pt2+, benzoquinone and NaNO2 forms an electron-transfer chain, which leads to the oxidation of methane by O2 in CF3COOH aqueous solution. The overall turnover number per hour (TOF) of methane at 120 °C is 0.5 h−1, however, only about one fourth (23%) of methane is converted to the desired product of methanol in the formation of CF3COOCH3. The over-oxidation of methane to CO2, over the catalyst with the Pt2+ species immobilized via 2,2′-bipyridyl as a ligand on the silica substrate, is depressed distinctly. Under the same conditions, the conversion to methanol dominates, and no CO2 is observed, on account of the over-oxidation of methane, as confirmed by the isotope experiment.