Methane activation over zeolite catalysts: The methylation of benzene

The methylation of benzene with methane over ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts in a high pressure static reactor is shown to require oxygen as a reactant, implicating methanol as a key intermediate species. In the case of zeolite H-beta, methyl aromatics can be formed in the absence of oxygen, consistent with an earlier report that these products are formed from cracking of benzene over the acid zeolite.