A Selective Formation of Styrene by Oxidative Methylation of Toluene with Methane over a PbO/MgO Catalyst.

The oxidative methylation of toluene with methane to styrene was studied using a lead oxide supported on magnesia catalyst. Although coke deposits were observed on the catalyst, it was found that a high selectivity of 41% for styrene was stably obtained at 40% toluene conversion over 1 g of 20 wt% PbO/MgO catalyst at 973 K.