Methane esterification in oleum

The reactions taking place during methane esterification in oleum were investigated. It was found that the primary products were methyl bisulphate and formaldehyde, which was subsequently oxidized to carbon dioxide. The catalyst, Pd or PtCl₄, was needed to activate methane and for its oxidation to the primary products. The formation of CO₂ was not a catalytic process. It was found that the addition of either carbon dioxide or ester into the reaction mixture did not slow down the reactions. Methane oxidation in oleum is an irreversible process, during which water is produced and subsequently consumed to give sulphuric acid by the reaction with sulphur trioxide. Presented at the 33rd International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 22–26 May 2006.