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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:

  1. The product is possible from these (or more) reactants,
  2. Whether the methane, as an organic combustible, would not simply deflagrate with perchlorate, leading to no other products (beyond fire or explosion),
  3. If methyl perchlorate is deliquescent (as I believe that perchlorate esters hydrolyze rapidly with water), and
  4. 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...

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  • $\begingroup$ The stated danger (at: chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/32336/…) of "...subsequent thawing, is almost assuredly a guarantee of detonation" is particularly interesting this Siberian regard... $\endgroup$ – Dave Jun 6 '15 at 9:04
  • $\begingroup$ sites.google.com/site/energeticchemical/… $\endgroup$ – Mithoron Jun 6 '15 at 11:50
  • $\begingroup$ How would perchlorate form and accumulate in large enough quantities to cause the Siberian divots? Though some occurs naturally in Desierto de Atacama, through accumulation of guano in the driest region on Earth, it does not seem you'd have enough forming below the permafrost. $\endgroup$ – DrMoishe Pippik Jun 7 '15 at 2:28
  • $\begingroup$ perchlorates occur naturally in nodularised evaporites and as aeolian deposits in dry, tundra environs, but it is also possible that the Siberian perchlorate is allochthonous, these 'divots' occurring in a region of discontinuous permafrost with through-going circulation that is continuous with the contemporary groundwater table. $\endgroup$ – Dave Jun 7 '15 at 9:48

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