Issue 28, 2025

2D spatial structure-favored, tandem catalysis-boosted direct transformation of methane to methanol over Cu-FER

Abstract

The direct transformation of methane into methanol (DMTM) remains a significant challenge of C1 chemistry. Herein, we investigate continuous N2O-DMTM over Cu-FER zeolite. A two-dimensional (2D) spatial structure-favored tandem catalysis is for the first time elucidated, which leads to boosted (CH3OH + DME) productivity, corresponding to 2736 μmol gcat−1 h−1 or 58 368 mmol per molCu per h of CH3OH, and improved reaction stability (passing through a 100 h long-term test). A unique dual Cu single-atom site located at the parallel 6-membered ring (MR) of the 8 MR channel could be generated, which serves as the primary CH3OH production active site exhibiting much higher activity than the traditional monomeric [Cu]+ and Cu dimer sites. The generated CH3OH can subsequently diffuse from the 8 MR channel into a 10 MR main channel and directly react with the radicals of CH3 and OH to produce DME not only favoring DME production but also efficiently preventing carbon deposition. The present work highlights a tandem catalysis over Cu-FER that would substantially favor the design of other efficient catalysts for N2O-DMTM.

Graphical abstract: 2D spatial structure-favored, tandem catalysis-boosted direct transformation of methane to methanol over Cu-FER

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
18 Ube 2025
Accepted
10 Jan 2025
First published
10 Jan 2025
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2025,16, 13082-13095

2D spatial structure-favored, tandem catalysis-boosted direct transformation of methane to methanol over Cu-FER

N. Liu, T. Zhang, C. Dai, R. Xu, G. Yu, N. Wang and B. Chen, Chem. Sci., 2025, 16, 13082 DOI: 10.1039/D5SC02092A

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