Efficient Oxidation of Methane to Methanol by Dioxygen Mediated by Tricopper Clusters

Abstract

TONs of copper fun: There is considerable interest in developing catalysts to harness the abundant natural supply of methane for various industrial applications. Two tricopper complexes capable of mediating efficient oxidation of methane to methanol under ambient conditions were tested: a biomimetic tricopper complex (see figure) and a tricopper-peptide species derived from the particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) protein.