| abstract |
Oxidatively halogenate methane by placing a feedstream that comprises methane, a source of halogen, a source of oxygen and, optionally, a source of diluent gas in contact with a first catalyst (e.g. a solid super acid or a solid super base) that has greater selectivity to methyl halide and carbon monoxide than to methylene halide, trihalomethane or carbon tetrahalide. Improve overall selectivity to methyl halide by using a second catalyst that converts at least part of the feedstream to a mixture of methyl halide, methylene halide, trihalomethane, carbon tetrahalide and unreacted oxygen, and placing that mixture in contact with the first catalyst which converts at least a portion of the methylene halide, trihalomethane and carbon tetrahalide to carbon monoxide, hydrogen halide and water. |