CHEMICALS BASED ON

METHANE

METHANE
Colorless, odorless, lighter than air
Not very reactive, it does not react
with acids or bases under normal
condition. However, it reacts with a
limited number of reagents such as
oxygen and chlorine under spesific
conditions

Chemicals based on methane, syntesis

gas, ammonia and methanol

Chemicals Based on Direct Reactions

of Methane
A few chemicals are based on the
direct reaction of methane with other
reagents. These are carbon disulfide,
hydrogen cyanide chloromethanes,
and synthesis gas mixture

1. CARBON DISULFIDA
Methane reacts with sulfur at high temperatures to
produce carbon disulfide
The reaction is endothermic
The process start by vaporizing pure sulfur,
mixing it with methane, and passing the mixture
over the alumina catalyst
The reaction could be represented as :

Uses :
1.
Carbon disulfide is primarily used to produce rayon and cellophane
(regenerated cellulose)
2.
CS2 is also used to produce carbon tetrachloride using iron powder as
catalyst at 30oC

2. HYDROGEN CYANIDE
Colorless liquid, that is miscible with water,
producing weakly acidic solution
Highly toxic compound, but a very useful
chemical intermediate with high reactivity
It is used in the synthesis of acrylonitrile and
adiponitrile, which are important monomers
for plastic and synthetic fiber production

Production Process
1. The Andrussaw Process
reaction
: exothermic

catalyst
: platinum-rhodium alloy
temperature : 1100oC.

2. The Degussa Process

reaction
: endothermic

catalyst
: aluminum ruthenium alloy
temperature : 1200oC

3. CHLOROMETHANE
The successive substitution of methane hydrogens with
chlorine produces a mixture of four chloromethanes :
methyl chloride (CH3Cl), methylene chloride (CH2Cl2),
chloroform(CHCl3), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4)
Uses :
CH3Cl : to produce silicon polymer, methylating
agent in methyl cellulose production, a solvent, a
refrigerant
CH2Cl2 : paint remover, degreasing solvent, solvent
for cellulose acetate
CHCl3 : to produce fluorocarbon 22
CCl4 : chlorofluorocarbon

4. Synthesis Gas
Many chemicals are produced from
synthesis gas. This is a consequence of the
high reactivity associated with hydrogen
and carbon monoxide gases, the two
constituents of synthesis gas

Process : steam gas reforming

Chemicals Based on Synthesis Gas

1. Ammonia (Haber Process)
Reaction:

The end use of ammonia is the fertilizer field for

the production of urea, ammonium nitrate and
ammonium phosphate and sulphate.
Ammonia is the precursor for many other chemicals
such as nitric acid, hydrazine, acrylonitrile and
hexamethylenediamine.

2. Methanol
Methanol is produced by the catalitic
reaction of carbon monoxide and hydrogen
(syn-gas)

Uses of methanol :
methanol has many important uses as a
chemical, a fuel, formaldehyde, a gasoline
additive, synthetic gasoline, etc

a. urea production

b. Nitrate acid production