Interfacial modulation promoted C-C coupling in selective methane oxidation to ethanol

Ke Xin Li; Weimin Huang; Jingwen Huang; Zhenyuan He; Shanshan Chen; Shifeng Wang; Yong Li; Yuanhao Wang; Zhun Hu

doi:10.1002/aic.70637

Interfacial modulation promoted C-C coupling in selective methane oxidation to ethanol

Ke Xin Li
, Weimin Huang
, Jingwen Huang
, Zhenyuan He
, Shanshan Chen
, Shifeng Wang
, Yong Li
, Yuanhao Wang
, Zhun Hu

School of Chemical Engineering and Technology
Research Institute of Urbanization and Urban Safety
University of Science and Technology Beijing
Key Laboratory of Plateau Oxygen and Living Environment of Xizang Autonomous Region
Xizang University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Selective methane oxidation to ethanol remained a formidable challenge. Herein, MOF-derived In₂O₃ was synthesized via MIL-68(In) pyrolysis. The optimized In₂O₃-500 achieved an ethanol yield of 10.8 mmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹ under full-spectrum illumination. These performances were attributed to carboxylate type C-O related interfacial modulation, which enriched surface electron density and promoted C-C coupling. During derivation, precursor derived carbon species were retained as carboxylate type C-O related structures and interacted with the In-O framework, inducing surface charge redistribution. Compared with In₂O₃-400, which retained residual MOF structures, and highly crystalline In₂O₃-600, which exhibited severe charge recombination, In₂O₃-500 exhibited a higher surface electron density and enhanced ·OH and ·CH₃ generation, thereby promoting the stepwise oxidation of *CH₃ to *CH₃O and *CH₂O. The enriched *CH₂O and *CH₃ intermediates further facilitated C–C coupling to form ethanol. These findings highlighted the role of electron-rich surfaces in steering methane conversion toward ethanol.

Original language	English
Journal	AIChE Journal
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.70637
State	Accepted/In press - 2026
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

metal–organic framework
photothermal catalysis
reactive oxygen species modulation
selective oxidation of methane to ethanol

Access to Document

10.1002/aic.70637

Cite this

@article{09d8c285aebe4b6794a634e6a59c628c,

title = "Interfacial modulation promoted C-C coupling in selective methane oxidation to ethanol",

abstract = "Selective methane oxidation to ethanol remained a formidable challenge. Herein, MOF-derived In2O3 was synthesized via MIL-68(In) pyrolysis. The optimized In2O3-500 achieved an ethanol yield of 10.8 mmol·g−1·h−1 under full-spectrum illumination. These performances were attributed to carboxylate type C-O related interfacial modulation, which enriched surface electron density and promoted C-C coupling. During derivation, precursor derived carbon species were retained as carboxylate type C-O related structures and interacted with the In-O framework, inducing surface charge redistribution. Compared with In2O3-400, which retained residual MOF structures, and highly crystalline In2O3-600, which exhibited severe charge recombination, In2O3-500 exhibited a higher surface electron density and enhanced ·OH and ·CH3 generation, thereby promoting the stepwise oxidation of *CH3 to *CH3O and *CH2O. The enriched *CH2O and *CH3 intermediates further facilitated C{\textendash}C coupling to form ethanol. These findings highlighted the role of electron-rich surfaces in steering methane conversion toward ethanol.",

keywords = "metal{\textendash}organic framework, photothermal catalysis, reactive oxygen species modulation, selective oxidation of methane to ethanol",

author = "Li, \{Ke Xin\} and Weimin Huang and Jingwen Huang and Zhenyuan He and Shanshan Chen and Shifeng Wang and Yong Li and Yuanhao Wang and Zhun Hu",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.",

year = "2026",

doi = "10.1002/aic.70637",

language = "英语",

journal = "AIChE Journal",

issn = "0001-1541",

publisher = "American Institute of Chemical Engineers",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Interfacial modulation promoted C-C coupling in selective methane oxidation to ethanol

AU - Li, Ke Xin

AU - Huang, Weimin

AU - Huang, Jingwen

AU - He, Zhenyuan

AU - Chen, Shanshan

AU - Wang, Shifeng

AU - Li, Yong

AU - Wang, Yuanhao

AU - Hu, Zhun

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - Selective methane oxidation to ethanol remained a formidable challenge. Herein, MOF-derived In2O3 was synthesized via MIL-68(In) pyrolysis. The optimized In2O3-500 achieved an ethanol yield of 10.8 mmol·g−1·h−1 under full-spectrum illumination. These performances were attributed to carboxylate type C-O related interfacial modulation, which enriched surface electron density and promoted C-C coupling. During derivation, precursor derived carbon species were retained as carboxylate type C-O related structures and interacted with the In-O framework, inducing surface charge redistribution. Compared with In2O3-400, which retained residual MOF structures, and highly crystalline In2O3-600, which exhibited severe charge recombination, In2O3-500 exhibited a higher surface electron density and enhanced ·OH and ·CH3 generation, thereby promoting the stepwise oxidation of *CH3 to *CH3O and *CH2O. The enriched *CH2O and *CH3 intermediates further facilitated C–C coupling to form ethanol. These findings highlighted the role of electron-rich surfaces in steering methane conversion toward ethanol.

AB - Selective methane oxidation to ethanol remained a formidable challenge. Herein, MOF-derived In2O3 was synthesized via MIL-68(In) pyrolysis. The optimized In2O3-500 achieved an ethanol yield of 10.8 mmol·g−1·h−1 under full-spectrum illumination. These performances were attributed to carboxylate type C-O related interfacial modulation, which enriched surface electron density and promoted C-C coupling. During derivation, precursor derived carbon species were retained as carboxylate type C-O related structures and interacted with the In-O framework, inducing surface charge redistribution. Compared with In2O3-400, which retained residual MOF structures, and highly crystalline In2O3-600, which exhibited severe charge recombination, In2O3-500 exhibited a higher surface electron density and enhanced ·OH and ·CH3 generation, thereby promoting the stepwise oxidation of *CH3 to *CH3O and *CH2O. The enriched *CH2O and *CH3 intermediates further facilitated C–C coupling to form ethanol. These findings highlighted the role of electron-rich surfaces in steering methane conversion toward ethanol.

KW - metal–organic framework

KW - photothermal catalysis

KW - reactive oxygen species modulation

KW - selective oxidation of methane to ethanol

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105049092204

U2 - 10.1002/aic.70637

DO - 10.1002/aic.70637

M3 - 文章

AN - SCOPUS:105049092204

SN - 0001-1541

JO - AIChE Journal

JF - AIChE Journal

ER -

Interfacial modulation promoted C-C coupling in selective methane oxidation to ethanol

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this