2507.     OGURA, T., AND ICHIMARU, T.  Reaction of Methane and Oxygen.  Jour. Soc. Chem. Ind. (Japan), vol. 47, 1944, pp. 540-543; Chem. Abs., vol. 42, 1948, p. 6082.

        For the purpose of obtaining a mixture of CO and H₂, CH₄ was oxidized under various conditions.  When no catalyst was used, CH₄ and O₂ did not react below 600°.  As catalyst, Co was the most effective and Ni was the next.  With Co as catalyst, the reaction takes place even below 300° when more than 2 times the volume of O₂ is added to CH₄, producing CO₂ and H₂O.  When an equivalent amount of CH₄ and O₂ is taken, CO₂ and H₂O are produced, and a part of the CH₄ remains below 800°, while above 800°, all CH₄ is changed to CO and H₂.  Admixture of N₂ retards the reaction, and admixture of H₂O promotes it.  When mixtures of CH₄ and O₂ were exploded, the product was variously CO₂, CO, H₂O, and H₂, according to the ratio at which CH₄ and O₂ were taken.  A semi-industrial experiment showed that preparation of a mixture of CO and H₂ by suitably oxidizing natural gas is successful.