Communication—Electrocatalytic Coupling of Methane at Platinum Oxide Electrodes in Superacids

Abstract

Electrochemical oxidation of methane in the absence of chemical oxidants offers the potential to directly synthesize high value hydrocarbons at low temperatures. Experimental results demonstrate methane oxidization at oxidized Pt electrodes in liquid superacid electrolytes. Ethane and ethylene are observed as products under chronoamperometric experiments at room temperature. Faradaic efficiencies for C2 products range from 5% to 25% at anodic potentials between 0.8 to 1.4 V vs RHE. A generalized Lewis-acid Pt2+ mechanism including methylidene coupling is proposed.