Hydrogen/Deuterium-Exchange Reactions of Methane with Aromatics and Cyclohexane Catalyzed by a Nanoscopic Aluminum Chlorofluoride

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/cctc.201701327

H/D-exchange reactions between methane and deuterated solvents such as [D₆]benzene and [D₁₂]cyclohexane were heterogeneously catalyzed by nanoscopic aluminum chlorofluoride (ACF=AlCl_xF_3?x, x≈0.05–0.3) under very mild conditions. ¹³C NMR spectroscopy experiments at labeled methane revealed the formation of all isotopologues. AlCl₃, AlBr₃, HS-AlF₃, γ-Al₂O₃, and γ-Al₂O₃ preheated at 700 °C did not show any H/D-exchange reaction of methane or [D₆]benzene. Mechanistically, electrophilic activation of methane was suggested at the ACF surface.