On the Mechanism Underlying the Direct Conversion of Methane to Methanol by Copper Hosted in Zeolites; Braiding Cu K-Edge XANES and Reactivity Studies

The application and quantification of in situ copper K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), when linked to independently made reactor-based studies of methanol production, result in a majority relation between the production of Cu I and methanol from methane that complies with the expectations of a two-electron mechanism founded upon Cu II /Cu I redox couples.