Thermal Conversion of Methane to Formaldehyde Promoted by Gold in AuNbO3+ Cluster Cations

In addition to generation of a methyl radical, formation of a formaldehyde molecule was observed in the thermal reaction of methane with AuNbO3+ heteronuclear oxide cluster cations. The clusters were prepared by laser ablation and mass‐selected to react with CH4 in an ion‐trap reactor under thermal collision conditions. The reaction was studied by mass spectrometry and DFT calculations. The latter indicated that the gold atom promotes formaldehyde formation through transformation of an AuO bond into an AuNb bond during the reaction. Gilded niobium: Thermal conversion of methane to formaldehyde was identified in the reaction of CH4 with AuNbO3+ cluster cations. The gold atom acts as an electron acceptor in the reaction and promotes the whole process through transformation of a gold–oxygen bond into a gold–niobium bond (see figure).