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Heterogeneous Catalysis

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Heterogeneous catalysis involves a catalyst in a different phase from the reactants. It is a process where the catalyst and the reactants are in distinct phases, typically solid and gas or liquid.Most heterogeneous catalysts are metals, metal oxides, or acids. The list includes transition metals like iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu). These metals possess partially vacant d orbitals that...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO₂ Reduction

Published on: April 10, 2018

Product protection, the key to developing high performance methane selective oxidation catalysts.

Mårten Ahlquist¹, Robert J Nielsen, Roy A Periana

¹Materials and Process Simulation Center (MC 139-74), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.

Journal of the American Chemical Society

|November 7, 2009

Summary

Directly converting methane to methanol is challenging due to high C-H bond energy. A novel catalytic approach protects methanol as methyl bisulfate, enabling efficient conversion and suggesting potential for even higher performance.

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Area of Science:

Chemical catalysis
Organic synthesis

Background:

Direct methane to methanol conversion is thermodynamically challenging due to the high C-H bond dissociation energy of methane (105 kcal mol⁻¹).
Existing methods often lack selectivity or require harsh conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate a selective direct conversion of methane to methanol.
To understand the mechanism behind the success of the Catalytica catalyst.

Main Methods:

Utilized the Catalytica catalyst for methane conversion.
Analyzed the reaction pathway involving methanol protection as methyl bisulfate.

Main Results:

The Catalytica catalyst achieves selective methane to methanol conversion.
Methanol is protected as methyl bisulfate, reducing its reactivity towards the catalyst.
This protection mechanism is key to the catalyst's success.

Conclusions:

The protection of methanol as methyl bisulfate is a viable strategy for direct methane to methanol conversion.
This approach offers a pathway to overcome the inherent challenges of methane activation.
The identified mechanism suggests that higher performance limits are achievable beyond the current Catalytica system.