An invention is provided for conversion of methane into hydrocarbon fuels is disclosed. The invention includes providing methane to an illumination chamber, and illuminating the methane with substantially narrow bandwidth photons of a predefined wavelength. The photons are provided from a substantially uncollimated light source producing photon intensities less than 10 Watt/m.sup.2. As a result, the methane is placed in an excited state that results in the molecules of the methane reacting more readily with other molecules to form a final product.

Provided is a solid acid catalyst for use in oxidation of a substrate in the coexistence of oxygen and ozone (solid acid catalyst for oxygen-ozone-coexisting oxidation). The solid acid catalyst enables oxidation of the substrate with a high conversion. This solid acid catalyst for oxygen-ozone-coexisting oxidation is a solid acid catalyst for use in an oxidation reaction to oxidize a substrate (A) in the coexistence of oxygen and ozone. The solid acid catalyst includes a transition metal in the form of an elementary substance, a compound, or an ion, and a support supporting the transition metal. The support includes, at least in its surface, a strong acid or super strong acid having a Hammett acidity function (H.sub.0) of −9 or less. The support is preferably a pellet or particle made of a fluorinated sulfonic acid resin, or a support including a solid and a layer of a fluorinated sulfonic acid resin disposed on the solid.

Provided is a solid acid catalyst for use in oxidation of a substrate in the coexistence of oxygen and ozone (solid acid catalyst for oxygen-ozone-coexisting oxidation). The solid acid catalyst enables oxidation of the substrate with a high conversion. This solid acid catalyst for oxygen-ozone-coexisting oxidation is a solid acid catalyst for use in an oxidation reaction to oxidize a substrate (A) in the coexistence of oxygen and ozone. The solid acid catalyst includes a transition metal in the form of an elementary substance, a compound, or an ion, and a support supporting the transition metal. The support includes, at least in its surface, a strong acid or super strong acid having a Hammett acidity function (H.sub.0) of −9 or less. The support is preferably a pellet or particle made of a fluorinated sulfonic acid resin, or a support including a solid and a layer of a fluorinated sulfonic acid resin disposed on the solid.

Provided is an oxidation reactor capable of oxidizing hydrocarbons with both good reaction efficiency and good energy efficiency. This oxidation reactor includes a liquid inlet channel, a gas inlet channel, a gas-liquid mixing unit, and a flow reactor. Through the liquid inlet channel, a liquid containing a reaction substrate hydrocarbon is introduced. Through the gas inlet channel, a gas containing oxygen and ozone is introduced. The gas-liquid mixing unit mixes the liquid introduced from the liquid inlet channel with the gas introduced from the gas inlet channel. In the flow reactor, an oxidation catalyst is immobilized or packed. In the oxidation reactor, the flow reactor includes a monolith support and the oxidation catalyst immobilized to or packed in the monolith support. In addition or alternatively, the gas-liquid mixing unit includes a microbubble generator.

Provided is an oxidation reactor capable of oxidizing hydrocarbons with both good reaction efficiency and good energy efficiency. This oxidation reactor includes a liquid inlet channel, a gas inlet channel, a gas-liquid mixing unit, and a flow reactor. Through the liquid inlet channel, a liquid containing a reaction substrate hydrocarbon is introduced. Through the gas inlet channel, a gas containing oxygen and ozone is introduced. The gas-liquid mixing unit mixes the liquid introduced from the liquid inlet channel with the gas introduced from the gas inlet channel. In the flow reactor, an oxidation catalyst is immobilized or packed. In the oxidation reactor, the flow reactor includes a monolith support and the oxidation catalyst immobilized to or packed in the monolith support. In addition or alternatively, the gas-liquid mixing unit includes a microbubble generator.

The subject invention provides synthetic compounds, and compound complexes having catalytic activities towards oxidation or oxygenation, and/or dehydrogenation of various substrates comprising C—H bonds. The catalysts of the subject invention comprise a dinuclear Cu(I)/Cu(II) center that can convert between a resting state and a reactive species. The subject invention also provides methods of using such catalysts for the oxidation of substrates comprising C—H bonds, e.g., hydrocarbons, to synthesize chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals and industrial feedstock.

The subject invention provides synthetic compounds, and compound complexes having catalytic activities towards oxidation or oxygenation, and/or dehydrogenation of various substrates comprising C—H bonds. The catalysts of the subject invention comprise a dinuclear Cu(I)/Cu(II) center that can convert between a resting state and a reactive species. The subject invention also provides methods of using such catalysts for the oxidation of substrates comprising C—H bonds, e.g., hydrocarbons, to synthesize chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals and industrial feedstock.

Some variations provide a process for producing mixed alcohols, comprising: purifying a biogas feedstock to generate a renewable natural gas stream comprising methane; introducing the renewable natural gas stream into a methane-to-syngas unit operated at effective conditions to convert the methane to a first syngas stream containing at least H.sub.2, CO, and CO.sub.2; purifying the first syngas stream, including separating the CO.sub.2 from the first syngas stream, and optionally separating some of the H.sub.2 from the first syngas stream, thereby generating a clean syngas stream; introducing the clean syngas stream into a mixed-alcohol reactor operated at effective alcohol synthesis conditions with an alcohol-synthesis catalyst, thereby generating mixed alcohols; and purifying the mixed alcohols to generate a mixed-alcohol product. The mixed-alcohol product may be blended with a hydrocarbon fuel, such as gasoline, to produce a blended fuel. The blended fuel has significantly lower carbon intensity than the base hydrocarbon fuel.

Some variations provide a process for producing mixed alcohols, comprising: purifying a biogas feedstock to generate a renewable natural gas stream comprising methane; introducing the renewable natural gas stream into a methane-to-syngas unit operated at effective conditions to convert the methane to a first syngas stream containing at least H.sub.2, CO, and CO.sub.2; purifying the first syngas stream, including separating the CO.sub.2 from the first syngas stream, and optionally separating some of the H.sub.2 from the first syngas stream, thereby generating a clean syngas stream; introducing the clean syngas stream into a mixed-alcohol reactor operated at effective alcohol synthesis conditions with an alcohol-synthesis catalyst, thereby generating mixed alcohols; and purifying the mixed alcohols to generate a mixed-alcohol product. The mixed-alcohol product may be blended with a hydrocarbon fuel, such as gasoline, to produce a blended fuel. The blended fuel has significantly lower carbon intensity than the base hydrocarbon fuel.

The present invention is intended to provide a method that can produce an oxidation reaction product of a hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof in an aqueous phase using a hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof as a raw material. In order to achieve the above object, the method for producing an oxidation reaction product of a hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof of the present invention includes the step of: irradiating a reaction system with light in a presence of a raw material and a halogen oxide radical to react, wherein the raw material is a hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof, the reaction system is a reaction system containing an aqueous phase, the aqueous phase contains the raw material and the halogen oxide radical, and in the reaction step, the raw material is oxidized to produce an oxidation reaction product of the raw material.