Methane electrophilic oxygenation

The superacid-catalyzed electrophile oxygenation of saturated hydrocarbons, including methane with hydrogen peroxide (via H302 ) or ozone (via HOs ), allowed the efficient preparation of oxygenated derivatives. 

It should be mentioned that with superacidic electrophilic oxygenation of methane either to methanol (with protonated hydrogen peroxide) or to formaldehyde (with protonated ozone), the products formed are indeed the protonated products (CH3OH2 and CH2=OH+, respectively), which are protected from further electrophilic oxygenation, which happens only too readily in conventional oxidations. 

O (nucleophilic) is necessary in allylic oxidation, and that the other species (electrophilic) are detrimental, by bringing about complete oxidation. On the other hand, some of these electrophilic species are very likely necessary for removing the first hydrogen of the saturated hydrocarbons (oxidation of butane to maleic anhydride and selective reactions of methane with oxygen). 

These results can be interpreted in terms of protosolvation of the nitronium ion. While the monocationic nitronium ion is a sufficiently polarizible electrophile to react with strong nucleophiles such as olefins and activated arenes, it is generally not reactive enough to react with weak nucleophiles including methane. Partial or complete protonation of the nitronium oxygen then leads to the superelectrophilic species 8. The... 

The reactions of alkenes with carbon electrophiles have already been mentioned in the cyclization of 1,5-dienes. However, carbon electrophiles may be generated in other ways. Protonation of formaldehyde (methanal) leads to a carbocation that may be stabilized by the oxygen lone pair (Scheme 3.12a). This may react with alkenes with the formation of 1,3-glycols or unsaturated alcohols, depending upon the way in which the intermediate carbocation is discharged (the Prins reaction, Scheme 3.12b). 

Formed in superacid media species exhibiting electrophilic properties are able to attack alkanes primarily via electrophilic addition to C-H bond followed by other reactions. In particular, Olah et al. observed O atom insertion in hydrogen peroxide reaction with methane in Magic Acid above 0 °C to produce methanol with very high (>95%) selectivity [54a]. The particle (OH)"", which may be considered to be a protonated oxygen atom in the singlet state is apparently the active species in the reaction. Methyl alcohol formed is immediately protonated to methyloxonium ion, and this prevents further... 

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