Turning Methane into Value-Chemicals via Photocatalysis

In this episode we discuss a novel and sustainable approach to
converting methane into valuable chemicals. Currently light
hydrocarbons like methane are often simply burned for energy,
despite their potential as a carbon source for the chemical
industry. Traditional conversion methods like natural gas
cracking are energy-intensive, and other functionalization routes
require harsh conditions and often toxic chemicals. Dr. Andrés
Constantino sharess his research focusing
on photocatalysis to achieve the direct functionalization
of methane under milder conditions. The key to this method is a
supramolecular catalytic system
using FeCl3•6H2O and collidine. When
irradiated, the catalyst generates a highly active chlorine radical
that efficiently abstracts hydrogen from the inert alkane (methane)
to form an alkyl radical. The collidine plays a crucial dual
role, acting as a base to quench the resulting HCl and as a
ligand that stabilizes the iron tetrachloride core. The
radicals were used for allylation chemistry, which retains a useful
olefin group in the product.