Europium Oxybromide Catalysts for Efficient Bromine Looping in Natural Gas Valorization. Issue 33 (19th June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Paunović, Vladimir; Lin, Ronghe; Scharfe, Matthias; Amrute, Amol P.; Mitchell, Sharon; Hauert, Roland; Pérez‐Ramírez, Javier
• Is Part Of: Angewandte Chemie international edition. Volume 56:Issue 33(2017)
• Page Start: 9791
• Page End: 9795
• Publication Date: 2017-06-19
• Subjects: bromine looping -- C1 chemistry -- europium oxybromide -- heterogeneous catalysis -- natural gas upgrading; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201704406
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-7851

Abstract

Abstract: The industrialization of bromine‐mediated natural gas upgrading is contingent on the ability to fully recycle hydrogen bromide (HBr), which is the end form of the halogen after the activation and coupling of the alkanes. Europium oxybromide (EuOBr) is introduced as a unique catalytic material to close the bromine loop via HBr oxidation, permitting low‐temperature operation and long lifetimes with a stoichiometric feed (O2 :HBr=0.25)—conditions at which any catalyst reported to date severely deactivates because of excessive bromination. Besides, EuOBr exhibits unparalleled selectivity to methyl bromide in methane oxybromination, which is an alternative route for bromine looping. This novel active phase is finely dispersed on appropriate carriers and scaled up to technical extrudates, enhancing the utilization of the europium phase while preserving the performance. This catalytic system paves the way for sustainable valorization of stranded natural gas via bromine chemistry. Abstract : Mind the gap : Europium‐oxybromide‐based materials are extraordinary catalysts for both HBr oxidation to Br2 and CH4 oxybromination to CH3 Br. This enables a closed bromine loop for the sustainable upgrading of natural gas to fuels and chemicals.