Open AccessDirect catalytic conversion of methane and light hydrocarbon gases. Quarterly report No. 10, January 1--March 31, 1989
Author(s) -
Robert B. Wilson,
B.M. Posin,
Yee Wai Chan
Publication year - 1989
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/85190
Subject(s) - ruthenium , chemistry , catalysis , deprotonation , hydrocarbon , methane , hydrolysis , carbon fibers , magnesium , inorganic chemistry , adduct , base (topology) , organic chemistry , materials science , ion , composite number , composite material , mathematical analysis , mathematics
The goal of this research is to develop catalysts that directly convert methane and light hydrocarbons to intermediates that later can be converted to either liquid fuels or value-added chemicals, as economics dictate. In this reporting period, we have utilized samples of magnesia differing in their pretreatment temperature. Both the hydrido-ruthenium complex H{sub 4}Ru{sub 4}(CO){sub 12} and its reaction product with triethyl aluminum were reacted with these samples. The two ruthenium clusters are expected to react with the magnesia surface in different ways: by deprotonation of the hydride through an acid-base reaction with the basic surface, or by hydrolysis of the aluminum-carbon bond of the triethyl aluminum adduct. The concentration of hydroxyl groups on the magnesia surface able to hydrolyze the aluminum-carbon bond for immobilation should vary depending on the temperature of the pretreatment; the concentration of basic sites which can deprotonate the cluster should also vary with temperature. These differences were borne out by the experiment. We also compared the activity of two batches of AlRu{sub 4}/MgO which had been synthesized at different times in the project. Both batches had approximately the same activity, but the newer batch had greater selectivity for C{sub 6+} hydrocarbons