Cu-ZSM-5: A biomimetic inorganic model for methane oxidation

The present work highlights recent advances in elucidating the methane oxidation mechanism of the inorganic Cu-ZSM-5 biomimic and in identifying the reactive intermediates that are involved. Such molecular understanding is important in view of upgrading abundantly available methane, but also to comprehend the working mechanism of genuine Cu-containing oxidation enzymes. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.