Natural gas, an abundant natural energy and chemical resource, is underutilized. Its inherent high energy content is compromised by its volatility. Storage and transportation problems abound for liquified natural gas. Several of the drawbacks of the utilization of natural gas, particularly its high volatility, could be offset by development of an economical and efficient process for coupling and/or further homologation of its principal component, methane. Alternatively, other conversion strategies such as partial oxidation to methanol and syngas, to oxygenates or conversion to such products via the intermediacy of chlorides should also be considered. Given the energy-intensive regimes necessary for the likely activation of methane, it was inevitable that researchers would tum to the use of heterogeneous catalysts. Heterogeneous catalysis is now a relatively mature discipline with numerous and diverse reactions being explored alongside informative studies on surface characterization, mechanism, and theory. Relationships to important related areas such as homogeneous catalysis, organometallic chemistry, and inorganic chemistry have become firmly established within this discipline. The field of methane and alkane activation is now over ten years old. The first decade of investigation produced results plagued by low yields and low-moderate conversions with well-articulated mechanistic limitations. As we begin the second decade of inquiry, novel strategies have brought increasing yields and conversions to such products as ethane, ethylene, methanol, and formaldehyde. These new approaches utilize separation of products via membranes or adsorbents. Moreover, additional mechanistic insight has been forthcoming from theoretical and computational examination as well as experimental investigation.

This proceedings volume comprises the invited plenary lectures, contributed and poster papers presented at a symposium organised to mark the successful inauguration of the world's first commercial plant for production of gasoline from natural gas, based on the Mobil methanol-to-gasoline process. The objectives of the Symposium were to present both fundamental research and engineering aspects of the development and commercialization of gas-to-gasoline processes. These include steam reforming, methanol synthesis and methanol-to-gasoline. Possible alternative processes e.g. MOGD, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of hydrocarbons, and the direct conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons were also considered.The papers in this volume provide a valuable and extremely wide-ranging overview of current research into the various options for natural gas conversion, giving a detailed description of the gas-to-gasoline process and plant. Together, they represent a unique combination of fundamental surface chemistry catalyst characterization, reaction chemistry and engineering scale-up and commercialization.

A reasonable case could be made that the scientific interest in catalytic oxidation was the basis for the recognition of the phenomenon of catalysis. Davy, in his attempt in 1817 to understand the science associated with the safety lamp he had invented a few years earlier, undertook a series of studies that led him to make the observation that a jet of gas, primarily methane, would cause a platinum wire to continue to glow even though the flame was extinguished and there was no visible flame. Dobereiner reported in 1823 the results of a similar investigation and observed that spongy platina would cause the ignition of a stream of hydrogen in air. Based on this observation Dobereiner invented the first lighter. His lighter employed hydrogen (generated from zinc and sulfuric acid) which passed over finely divided platinum and which ignited the gas. Thousands of these lighters were used over a number of years. Dobereiner refused to file a patent for his lighter, commenting that "I love science more than money." Davy thought the action of platinum was the result of heat while Dobereiner believed the ~ffect ~as a manifestation of electricity. Faraday became interested in the subject and published a paper on it in 1834; he concluded that the cause for this reaction was similar to other reactions.

This book introduces various types of reactions to produce chemicals by the direct conversion of methane from the point of view of mechanistic and functional aspects. The chemicals produced from methane are aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons such as propylene and benzene, and methanol. These chemicals are created by using homogeneous catalysts, heterogeneous catalysts such as zeolites, and biocatalysts such as enzymes. Various examples of methane conversion reactions that are discussed have been chosen to illustrate how heterogeneous and homogenous catalysts and biocatalysts and/or their reaction environments control the formation of highly energetic species from methane contributing to C-C and C-O bond formation.

Direct Natural Gas Conversion to Value-Added Chemicals comprehensively discusses all major aspects of natural gas conversion and introduces a broad spectrum of recent technological developments. Specifically, the book describes heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis, microwave-assisted conversion, non-thermal plasma conversion, electrochemical conversion, and novel chemical looping conversion approaches. Provides an excellent benchmark resource for the industry and academics Appeals to experienced researchers as well as newcomers to the field, despite the variety of contributing authors and the complexity of the material covered Includes all aspects of direct natural gas conversion: fundamental chemistry, different routes of conversion, catalysts, catalyst deactivation, reaction engineering, novel conversion concepts, thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer issues, system design, and recent research and development Discusses new developments in natural gas conversion and future challenges and opportunities This book is as an excellent resource for advanced students, technology developers, and researchers in chemical engineering, industrial chemistry, and others interested in the conversion of natural gas.

A reasonable case could be made that the scientific interest in catalytic oxidation was the basis for the recognition of the phenomenon of catalysis. Davy, in his attempt in 1817 to understand the science associated with the safety lamp he had invented a few years earlier, undertook a series of studies that led him to make the observation that a jet of gas, primarily methane, would cause a platinum wire to continue to glow even though the flame was extinguished and there was no visible flame. Dobereiner reported in 1823 the results of a similar investigation and observed that spongy platina would cause the ignition of a stream of hydrogen in air. Based on this observation Dobereiner invented the first lighter. His lighter employed hydrogen (generated from zinc and sulfuric acid) which passed over finely divided platinum and which ignited the gas. Thousands of these lighters were used over a number of years. Dobereiner refused to file a patent for his lighter, commenting that "I love science more than money." Davy thought the action of platinum was the result of heat while Dobereiner believed the ~ffect ~as a manifestation of electricity. Faraday became interested in the subject and published a paper on it in 1834; he concluded that the cause for this reaction was similar to other reactions.