Biomimetic catalysts: Application of coordinating complexes containing an asymmetric coordinating ligand

Conference · Fri May 15 00:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:10147289

Droege, M W; Satcher, Jr, J H; Reibold, R A; Watkins, B E ^[1]; Weakely, T J.R. ^[2]; Chauffe, L ^[3]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
2. Oregon Univ., Eugene, OR (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
3. California State Univ., Hayward, CA (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

The catalytic conversion of methane from natural gas into a readily transportable liquid fuel is a research area that is currently attracting considerable attention. This is a difficult transformation from a thermodynamic viewpoint since methane is a relatively unreactive substance and chemicals derived from methane are substantially more reactive than methane itself. Thus, no industrial process to date has been able to convert methane to liquid products in high yield. One of the more studied process is the oxidative coupling of methane to higher hydrocarbons and olefins. We undertook a program to take advantage of the selectivity already known to exist in a bacterial enzyme system. A group of aerobic soil/water bacteria called methanotrophs can efficiently and selectively utilize methane as the sole source of energy and carbon for cellular growth. The first reaction in this metabolic pathway is the conversion of methane to methanol and is catalyzed by the enzyme methane monooxygenase (MMO). Our work centers on the characterization of the structure/activity relationships of the particulate form of MMO and synthesis and characterization of inorganic/organic chemical models of MMO (both particulate and soluble).

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 10147289
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-110663; CONF-920815-21; ON: DE93009228
• Resource Relation: Conference: 204. American Chemical Society (ACS) national meeting,Washington, DC (United States),23-28 Aug 1992; Other Information: PBD: 15 May 1992
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CATALYSTS
SYNTHESIS
LIGANDS
METHANE
BIOCONVERSION
METHANOTROPHIC BACTERIA
LIQUID FUELS
NATURAL GAS
THERMODYNAMICS
COUPLING
METHANOL
AMINO ACIDS
COPPER COMPLEXES
CYCLOHEXANE
CHELATING AGENTS
CYCLOHEXANONE
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
LEWIS BASES
LEWIS ACIDS
DESIGN
090900
550700
550200
PROCESSING
MICROBIOLOGY
BIOCHEMISTRY