Metathesis of Alkanes: Evidence for Degenerate Metathesis of Ethane over a Silica-Supported Tantalum Hydride Prepared by Surface Organometallic Chemistry.

The mutual exchange of methyl groups of ethane molecules is catalyzed by a silica-supported tantalum hydride surface complex (see the schematic representation of the transition states). This process, which resembles degenerate olefin metathesis, is five times faster than the productive alkane metathesis.