Comment on Selective anaerobic oxidation of methane enables direct synthesis of methanol

Sushkevich et al. (Reports, 5May 2017, p. 523) report on the use of water to oxidize methane to methanol. This seems problematic because the reaction of CH4 and water to generate methanol and H-2 is highly unfavorable at any temperature (Delta G of reaction approximate to +28 kcal/mol at 200 degrees C, equilibrium constant K approximate to 10(-13)). Consequently, even if the reaction is separated into two steps, it seems inconceivable to carry out such a net reaction in a practical manner.