Catalyst design for the reforming of halomethanes in natural gas upgrading

Natural gas has increasingly attracted attention in academic and industrial arenas as a potential source for chemicals and fuels. In this regard, halogen-mediated routes have been demonstrated as highly attractive approaches to selectively functionalize methane, targeting the transformation to methyl halide (CH3X, X = Br, Cl) as a platform chemical for the manufacture of readily transportable commodities. However, the formation of polyhalogenated compounds compromise the production of CH3X, hereby representing an Achilles heel that hampers the industrialization of halogen-mediated processes. My research targets the design of catalysts for the reforming of these undesired byproducts via selective hydrodehalogenation leading to CH3X, which could ultimately enable the future industrial application of halogen-mediated natural gas upgrading technologies.





ETH Hönggerberg
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