Highly dispersed Ce(iii) species on silica and alumina as new photocatalysts for non-oxidative direct methane coupling

Abstract

Highly dispersed cerium oxide species on silica and alumina, which mainly exist as Ce(III) species, promote non-oxidative direct methane coupling photocatalytically around room temperature, while Ce(IV) species as CeO2 particles do not behave as a catalyst for this reaction.