SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF BIALKALI METAL CHLORIDES PROMOTED MAGNESIA ON OXIDATIVE COUPLING OF METHANE

Upon promoting MgO (prepared via a sol-gel process) with any binary mixture of the alkali metal chlorides, catalytic systems are obtained which are more active, selective and much more stable with time-on-stream than the respective monoalkali promoted MgO in the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) to C2 hydrocarbons. The best catalytic performance is obtained over (5 mol% NaCl+5 mol% CsCl)/MgO, which exhibits a C2 yield of 19.7% compared to 5.9 and 4.1% over 10 mol% NaCl/MgO and 10 mol% CsCl/MgO, respectively, at atmospheric pressure, a temperature of 750-degrees-C, a space velocity of 15000 cm3 g-1 h-1, P(CH4) = 608 Torr and CH4/O2 = 4. A series of different combinations among the five alkali chlorides were made and the afore-mentioned synergistic effect was always observed. The basicity and base strength distribution of the bialkali chloride systems (measured by the gaseous acid adsorption or benzoic acid titration methods) are significantly higher than those of the respective monoalkali halide systems. The relationship between the catalytic performance and basicity / base strength distribution is explored.