| Abstract
| - The Catalytica process converts methane to methyl bisulfate in good yield at relativelylow temperature in fuming sulfuric acid with (bipyrimidine)PtCl2 as a catalyst. Previouslywe examined the first step, methane C−H activation, and here we look at the oxidation bySO3 and the reductive elimination steps. In the oxidation step a Pt(II)−CH3 complex (a)reacts with protonated SO3, which splits to form two new ligands, SO2 and OH-, thusoxidizing a to a Pt(IV)−CH3 complex. The final step in the cycle is the reductive eliminationof methyl bisulfate from this complex.
- Theoretical discussion is given of the oxidation (C → D) and elimination steps (D → B) in the Catalytica process, where CH4 is functionalized to methyl bisulfate by the (bipyrimidine)PtCl2 catalyst.
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