Methane activation over Mn2O3-Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst and oxygen spillover

A redox mechanism is proposed for the selective oxidation of methane to methyl radical. According to this mechanism, methane activation takes place on the W6+ sites, while activation of gas-phase oxygen occurs on the Mn3+ sites. Owing to the oxygen spillover from Mn2O3 to Na2WO4 surface, the catalytic activity of oxidative coupling of methane to ethylene over Mn2O3-Na2WO4/SiO2 is increased more than 3 times that over Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst.