# US 11,993,856 B2 · Ambient methane functionalization initiated by d0 metal-oxo electrocatalyst

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- Number: US 11,993,856 B2
- Document ID: US11993856B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/636,333
- Filed: 2020-08-21
- Published: 2023-06-08
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2019-08-22
- Assignees: The Regents of the University of California
- Applicants: The Regents of the University of California
- Inventors: Jiao Deng; Chong Liu; Jesus Iniguez
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993856B2

## CPC

- B01J 29/90: Regeneration or reactivation
- C25B 11/075: consisting of a single catalytic element or catalytic compound
- B01J 19/087: {employing electric or magnetic energy}
- B01J 38/10: using elemental hydrogen
- C01G 31/006: {Compounds containing vanadium, with or without oxygen or hydrogen, and containing two or more other elements}
- C25B 3/07: Oxygen containing compounds
- C25B 3/23: Oxidation (halogenation C25B3/27)
- B01J 2219/0803: employing electric or magnetic energy
- B01J 2219/0884: Gas-liquid
- B01J 2219/0892: involving catalytically active material
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B)
- C01G: COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F (metal hydrides {monoborane, diborane or addition complexes thereof} C01B6/00; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts or peroxyacids C01B15/00; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium, or tellurium C01B19/00; binary compounds of nitrogen with metals C01B21/06; azides C01B21/08; {compounds containing nitrogen, other non-metals and metal C01B21/082}; metal amides C01B21/092; nitrites C01B21/50; {compounds of noble gases C01B23/0005}; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; carbides C01B32/90; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00; compounds having molecular sieve properties but not having base-exchange properties C01B37/00; compounds having molecular sieve and base-exchange properties, e.g. crystalline zeolites, C01B39/00; cyanides C01C3/08; salts of cyanamide C01C3/16; thiocyanates C01C3/20)

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to electrocatalytic process for conversion of a hydrocarbon reactant, comprising: introducing the hydrocarbon reactant into an acidic solution in a presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst includes a d° transition metal-oxo moiety; and applying an electrical input to the catalyst to convert the hydrocarbon reactant into a product. The present disclosure also relates to a catalyst for conversion of a hydrocarbon reactant, comprising a d° transition metal-oxo moiety and a sulfonic moiety bonded to the d° transition metal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrocatalytic process for conversion of a hydrocarbon reactant, the process comprising:
introducing the hydrocarbon reactant into an acidic solution in a presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst comprises a d0 transition metal-oxo moiety and at least one of a sulfonic moiety or a trifluoromethanesulfonic moiety bonded to the d0 transition metal; and
applying an electrical input to the catalyst to convert the hydrocarbon reactant into a product.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 1, wherein the d0 transition metal is selected from Group 3, Group 4, Group 5, Group 6, and Group 7 of the periodic table.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 1, wherein the d0 transition metal is selected from titanium (IV), vanadium (V), and chromium (VI).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 1, wherein the catalyst has a chemical formula:

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 1, wherein a concentration of the catalyst in the acidic solution is in a range of about 0.1 mM to about 100 mM.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 1, wherein the acidic solution is an aqueous solution.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 6, wherein the aqueous solution includes sulfuric acid.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 1, wherein applying the electrical input is carried out at a temperature in a range of up to about 200° C. or less.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 1, wherein applying the electrical input is carried out at a pressure in a range of up to about 50 bar or less.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon reactant is a hydrocarbon mixture.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 10, wherein the hydrocarbon mixture is natural gas.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalytic process of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon reactant includes methane, and the product includes methyl bisulfate.