Isotopic Studies on Oxidative Methane Coupling over Samarium Oxide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/cl.1989.1531

The evident kinetic isotope effect was observed for the formations of ethylene and ethane through the oxidative coupling of methane on Sm2O3, when CH4 and CD4 were used as the reactants.Ethanes formed in the reaction of a mixture of CH4, CD4, and O2 were C2H6, C2H3D3, and C2D6 as major products.These results indicate that the rate-determining step of the reaction is abstraction of hydrogen from methane and that ethane is formed through the coupling of methyl intermediate.