Low-temperature methane chlorination with aqueous platinum chlorides in the presence of chlorine

The reaction of methane with chlorine in water at 125[degrees]C in the presence of platinum chlorides results in the platinum-assisted formation of methyl chloride which is partially hydrolyzed in situ to methanol. Aqueous Na[sub 2][PtCl[sub 4]] reacts with chlorine at room temperature, resulting in Na[sub 2][PtCl[sub 6]], which is the major species in solution even at 125[degrees]C. 22 refs., 2 figs.