Mechanism and kinetics of reactions of C1 molecules on Cu-based catalysts

The mechanism and kinetics of reactions occurring in the course of natural gas processing into motor fuels and other chemical products are considered with emphasis on copper-based catalysts. The following reactions are considered: methanol and methyl formate syntheses, dimethyl ether synthesis from syngas and by methanol dehydration, water-gas shift reaction, steam reforming of methanol and its decomposition to produce syngas, and others. It is shown that a key, role in the mechanisms of the above reactions belong to transformations of stable, strongly ("irreversibly") chemisorbed species, and this fact determines the specific features of the schemes of their mechanisms and kinetic models. The use of the specific features of reaction mechanisms makes it possible to increase the process efficiency (methanol and dimethyl ether syntheses) and provide a high selectivity (methyl formate synthesis).