INTERACTION BETWEEN METHANE AND SULFUR WITH THE FORMATION OF PARTIAL OXIDATION AND OXIDATIVE COUPLING PRODUCTS

Reactions between methane and sulfur in the gas phase are viewed from the thermodynamic standpoint, and an analogy with the methane oxidatio n by oxygen is drawn. The thermodynamically possible yield of the reac tion products is calculated under conditions of the sulfur:methane mol ar ratio of(0-0.5):1 at 700-1600 K and 0.1-100 atm. Like other known o xidants (O-2, N2O, Cl-2), sulfur was shown to oxidize methane to produ ce C-2 hydrocarbons, propylene, and aliphatic cyclic and aromatic thio ls in addition to CS2. Evidence which supports the possibility of obta ining olefins and mercaptans upon the methane-sulfur interaction catal yzed by metal sulfides is reported.