I am exploring (non-experimentally!) the methylation of a perchlorate precursor, either the acid or pre-existing salts, to produce the alkali methyl perchlorate. The methylating agent would be methane itself, and I would like to understand whether:
- The product is possible from these (or more) reactants,
- Whether the methane, as an organic combustible, would not simply deflagrate with perchlorate, leading to no other products (beyond fire or explosion),
- If methyl perchlorate is deliquescent (as I believe that perchlorate esters hydrolyze rapidly with water), and
- If low temperature conditions (< 5 °C) might permit '1' and avoid '2'.
Reference to any answers would be much appreciated, my interest being in recent events in the Siberian tundra...