The direct partial oxidation of CH4 to dimethyl ether (DME) was achieved with a Pt/Y2O3 catalyst using a mixture of NO and O2. The actual gas composition contained a mixture of NO and NO2, with no decomposition or net consumption of these species. Use of 18O2 confirmed the transfer of labeled oxygen from O2 to CH4, indicating the NO/NO2 mixture worked as a single oxygen atom shuttle.
