Liquid phase oxidation of lower alkanes to oxygenates

A liquid phase selective oxidation process comprising contacting a lower alkane, a solvent, a soluble metal catalyst, and a promoter in the presence of an oxidizing agent in a reaction zone under partial oxidation conditions to selectively produce a partially oxidized product comprising one or more of a lower alkyl alcohol, a lower alkyl ketone, and a lower alkyl acetate, wherein the catalyst comprises a soluble metal salt and the metal consists essentially of one metal selected from the group of cobalt, manganese, chromium, titanium, copper, nickel, vanadium, iron, molybdenum, tin, cerium, and zirconium, wherein the process has less than 10% selectivity to CO and CO2, wherein the promoter comprises a bromine source, an imide source, or combinations thereof, wherein the lower alkane comprises an alkane having 2 to 5 carbons, wherein a weight ratio of the lower alkane to oxygen present in the oxidizing agent is in a range of about 50:1 to about 7:1, and wherein the reaction conditions include a temperature in a range of about 40° C. to about 250° C., and a pressure in a range of about 0.7 MPa(g) to about 13.8 MPa(g).