MECHANISM OF OXIDATIVE DEHYDRODIMERIZATION OF METHANE ON BISMUTH-MANGANESE OXIDE CATALYST

Pulse and flow (with variation of a free volume in the reactor) techni ques have been used in studying the oxidative dehydrodimerization of m ethane. It is shown to proceed via a heterogeneous-homogeneous mechani sm. Methyl radicals are proposed to be formed on the catalyst surface by a heterolytic cleavage of the C-H bond resulting in a methyl anion with electron-transfer to the contact. Deep oxidation of methane takes place both on the catalyst surface and in the gas phase via methyl pe roxide radicals.