300.    ---------------.  [BOOMER, E. H., AND THOMAS, V.] Oxidation of Methane at High Pressure.  III.  Experiments Using Pure Methane and Principally Copper as Catalyst.  Canadian Jour. Research, vol. 15, B, 1937, pp. 414-437; Chem. Abs., vol. 32, 1938, p. 751.

                 Mixtures of CH₄ containing some N₂ and O₂ were passed over Cu and Ag catalysts.  The effects of the variables, composition of mixture, pressure, and temperature were determined.  From 3-7% of O₂ was used in various experiments at pressures from 140-220 atm. at a temperature of 475°.  The effect on yields of additions of CO₂ to the mixture was determined.  Yields of MeOH up to 75% on the basis of C oxidized were obtained, but this is too low to be of commercial import since the yield of MeOH calculated on the basis of total C is less than 5%.  O₂ loss in the conversion ranged from 50-10%.  All the O₂ entering the system did not appear in the products, and nearly all experiments had O₂ in the off gases.  Reactions are offered for the products observed based on Bone’s hydroxylation theory and Norrish’s chain reaction theory.