The methanol to hydrocarbon (MTH) process provides an efficient route for the conversion of carbon-based feedstocks into olefins, aromatics and gasoline. Still, there is room for improvements in product selectivity and catalytic stability. This task calls for a fundamental understanding of the formation, catalytic mechanism and degradation of active sites. The autocatalytic feature of the MTH process implies that hydrocarbons are active species on the one hand and deactivating species on the other hand. The steady-state performance of such species has been thoroughly studied and reviewed. However, the mechanism of formation of the initial hydrocarbon species (i.e.; the first C-C bond) and the evolution of active species into deactivating coke species have received less attention. Therefore, this review focuses on the significant progress recently achieved in these two stages by a combination of theoretical calculations, model studies, operando spectroscopy and catalytic tests.

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A new route to the synthesis of TS-1 has been developed using (NH4)2CO3 as a crystallization-mediating agent. In this way, the framework Ti content can be significantly increased without forming extraframework Ti species. The prepared catalyst had a Si/Ti ratio as low as 34 in contrast to the ratio of 58 achieved with the methods A and B established by the Enichem group (Clerici, M. G.; Bellussi, G.; Romano, U. J. Catal. 1991, 129, 159) and Thangaraj and Sivasanker (Thangaraj, A.; Sivasanker, S. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. 1992, 123), respectively. The material contained less defect sites than the samples synthesized by the other two methods. As a result, it showed much higher activity for the oxidation of various organic substrates, such as linear alkanes/alkenes and alcohols, styrene, and benzene. The crystallization mechanism of TS-1 in the presence of (NH4)2CO3 was studied by following the whole crystallization process with X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy, and (29)Si MAS (magic-angle spinning) NMR spectroscopy techniques. It was shown that the presence of (NH4)2CO3 not only drastically lowered down pH, slowing down the crystallization process and making the incorporation of Ti into the framework match well with nucleation and crystal growth, but also modified the crystallization mechanism. It seems that the solid-phase transformation mechanism predominated in the crystallization process initiated by dissociation, reorganization, and recoalescence of the solidified gel although a small amount of nongelatinated Ti shifted to the solid during the crystal growth period. In contrast, a typical homogeneous nucleation mechanism occurred in the method A system. Thus, although in the method A system most of Ti cations was inserted into the lattice after the crystallization was nearly completed, the inclusion of Ti started at the earlier nucleation period in the presence of (NH4)2CO3. This is favorable for the incorporation of Ti into the framework, resulting in a more homogeneous distribution of Ti in the framework. Oxidation of 1-hexene and 2-hexanol over the samples collected during the whole crystallization process indicated that condensation of Ti-OH and Si-OH proceeded even after the crystallization was completed. This resulted in an increase in hydrophobicity and an overall improvement in microscopic character of Ti species and consequently a great increase in the catalytic activity with further progress of crystallization.