Direct Coupling of Methane and Carbon Dioxide on Tantalum Cluster Cations.

Understanding molecular-scale reaction mechanisms is crucial for the design of modern catalysts with industrial prospect. Through joint experimental and computational studies, we investigate the direct coupling reaction of CH and CO , two abundant greenhouse gases, mediated by Ta ions to form larger oxygenated hydrocarbons. Coherent with proposed elementary steps, we expose products of CH dehydrogenation [Ta CH ] to CO in a ring electrode ion trap.