Lei Tao
PhD student
Catalysis Research Center and Chemistry Department
Technische Universität München
Lichtenbergstraße 4
85748 Garching, Germany
Curriculum
| 09/2018-Present | PhD student at TUM supervised by Prof. Dr. Johannes A. Lercher |
| 09/2015 - 06/2018 | Master of Science in Physical Chemistry, Fudan University, China |
| 08/2013 - 12/2013 | Exchange at University of California, Berkeley, USA |
| 09/2011 - 06/2015 | Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Fudan University, China |
Selective Oxidation of Methane to Methanol
The discovery of high availability of methane in forms of nature gas or shale gas has resulted in a call for effective transformation of methane into chemicals or liquid fuels. Currently, the industrial process relies on reforming of methane into synthesis gas, which then reacts to form methanol and subsequently other chemicals. This route, however, is only operable in an energy-intensive way under high temperature and high pressure. Conceptually, the direct selective oxidation of methane into methanol is a more desired pathway in terms of atom and step economy, and yet very challenging due to the recalcitrant nature of C-H bonds in methane and susceptibility of methanol to deep oxidation. Transition metal cations exchanged zeolites have emerged as promising heterogeneous catalysts in the conversion of methane to methanol since 2005, and by applying a three-step reaction cycle, over-oxidation of methane is largely avoidable through preventing simultaneous contact of methane from oxygen. The research includes synthesis, evaluation and characterization of these catalysts to gain better understandings on the nature of active sites and elementary reaction steps, as well as to achieve higher methanol yield and selectivity.
Publications
L. Tao, T. H. Yan, W. Li, Y. Zhao, Q. Zhang, Y. M. Liu, M. M. Wright, Z. H. Li, H. Y. He and Y. Cao, Chem 2018, 4, 2212. “Toward an Integrated Conversion of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural and Ethylene for the Production of Renewable p-Xylene”
L. Tao, Z. J. Wang, T. H. Yan, Y. M. Liu, H. Y. He and Y. Cao, ACS Catal. 2017, 7, 959. “Direct Synthesis of Pyrroles via Heterogeneous Catalytic Condensation of Anilines with Biobased Furans”
M. M. Zhu, L. Tao, Q. Zhang, J. Dong, Y. M. Liu, H. Y. He and Y. Cao, Green Chem. 2017, 19, 3880. “Versatile CO-assisted Direct Reductive Amination of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Catalyzed by a Supported Gold Catalyst”
S. S. Li, L. Tao, F. Z. R. Wang, Y. M. Liu and Y. Cao, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2016, 358, 1410. “Heterogeneous Gold-Catalyzed Selective Semireduction of Alkynes Using Formic Acid as Hydrogen Source”
L. Tao, Q. Zhang, S. S. Li, X. Liu, Y. M. Liu and Y. Cao, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2015, 357, 753. “Heterogeneous Gold-Catalyzed Selective Reductive Transformation of Quinolines with Formic Acid"