Transient Isotropic Labeling Using 16O2/18O2 over Alkali-Metal-Promoted Molybdate Catalysts in Oxidative Coupling of Methane

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j100146a029

The methane coupling reaction was investigated over MnMoO4 and alkali-metal (Li, Na, K)-promoted MnMoO4 at 700 deg C using isotopically labeled oxygen under both methane-free and oxygen/methane cofeed reaction conditions.The addition of K to MnMoO4 has previously been found to increase the selectivity to C2 hydrocarbons under methane coupling conditions.Results of the isotopic labeling studies performed under steady-state conditions indicated that the interaction of the catalyst surfaces with gas-phase oxygen and the mobility of subsurface lattice oxygen may play a significant role in determining the selectivity to C2 hydrocarbons.