Catalytic oxidation of methanol to methyl formate over silver – a new purpose of a traditional catalysis system

Catalytic reaction was performed in the unregarded temperature region over silver catalysts with long catalytic lifetime for the conversion of methanol to methyl formate. Oα-saturated or Oγ-saturated silver catalysts were studied individually to identify the roles of Oα, Oγ in the oxidative esterification of methanol over an unsupported polycrystalline silver catalyst. A synergic process is proposed based on the coexistence of α-oxygen species and γ-oxygen species on the surface of polycrystalline silver at about 573 K.