Activation and Catalysis of Methane over Metal–Organic Framework Materials

Methane (CH₄), which is the main component of natural gas, is an abundant and widely available carbon resource. However, CH₄ has a low energy density of only 36 kJ L^–1 under ambient conditions, which is significantly lower than that of gasoline (ca. 34 MJ L^–1). The activation and catalytic conversion of CH₄ into value-added chemicals [e.g., methanol (CH₃OH), which has an energy density of ca. 17 MJ L^–1], can effectively lift its energy density. However, this conversion is highly challenging due to the inert nature of CH₄, characterized by its strong C–H bonds and high stability. Consequently, the development of efficient materials that can optimize the binding and activation pathway of CH₄ with control of product selectivity has attracted considerable recent interest. Metal–organic framework (MOF) materials have emerged as particularly attractive candidates for the development of efficient sorbents and heterogeneous catalysts due to their high porosity, low density, high surface area and structural versatility. These properties enable MOFs to act as effective platforms for the adsorption, binding and catalytic conversion of CH₄ into valuable chemicals. Recent reports have highlighted MOFs as promising materials for these applications, leading to new insights into the structure–activity relationships that govern their performance in various systems.