Platinum-Catalysed Selective Aerobic Oxidation of Methane to Formaldehyde in the Presence of Liquid Water.

The aerobic, selective oxidation of methane to C -oxygenates remains a challenge, due to the more facile, consecutive oxidation of formed products to CO . Here, we report on the aerobic selective oxidation of methane under continuous flow conditions, over platinum-based catalysts yielding formaldehyde with a high selectivity (reaching 90 % for Pt/TiO and 65 % over Pt/Al O ) upon co-feeding water. The presence of liquid water under reaction conditions increases the activity strongly attaining a methane conversion of 1-3 % over Pt/TiO .