Methane functionalization

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/methane-functionalization

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific field?Catalysis, Organometallic Chemistry
2. What is the primary goal?Conversion of methane (CH4) to valuable chemicals
3. What is methane and why is it special?Methane is the simplest alkane, written CH4. It is found in natural gas and has a lot of energy.
4. Why is methane hard to change into other chemicals?Methane's carbon-hydrogen bonds are very strong, about 439 kJ/mol, and they are non-polar. Because of this, the gas is very resistant to most chemical changes.

Methane: The simplest alkane (CH4), a primary component of natural gas, known for its chemical inertness.
Transition Metal Catalyst: A metal complex that facilitates chemical reactions by lowering activation energy, often involving redox processes.
C-H Bond Activation: The cleavage of a carbon-hydrogen bond, typically mediated by a metal center.
Functionalization: The process of introducing a functional group into a molecule, thereby altering its chemical properties.