Partial oxidation of methane with nitrous oxide over V/sub 2/O/sub 5/-SiO/sub 2/ catalyst

The partial oxidation of methane to methanol and formaldehyde can be achieved selectively on silica-supported vanadium pentoxide catalysts in the temperature range 460-500/sup 0/C in a reactant mixture of CH/sub 4/, N/sub 2/O, and H/sub 2/O at 1 atm total pressure. The selectivity to CH/sub 3/OH and HCHO can be 100% at 460/sup 0/C at low conversions (approx.0.2%) and contact time (1.2 s), and decreases to produce more CO with increasing temperature, contact time, and conversion. The activation energies are 22 +/- 2, 40 +/- 4, and 47 +/- 4 kcal/mole for the production of HCHO, CH/sub 3/OH, and CO, respectively. The rate equations are Rate (CH/sub 3/OH) approx. (CH/sub 4/)/sup 1/2/(N/sub 2/O)/sup 1/2/(H/sub 2/O)/sup 1/2/, Rate (HCHO) approx. (CH/sub 4/)/sup 1/2/(N/sub 2/O)/sup 1/3/, and Rate (CO) approx. (CH/sub 4/)/sup 1/2/(N/sub 2/O)(H/sub 2/O)/sup -1/. The products form by parallel reaction paths which are different from the sequential oxidation mechanism of methane on molybdena and in a lower temperature range than on molybdenum oxide. 5 references, 6 figures, 1 tables.