Patent ID: 7019105

Claim:
A process for producing borohydride compounds, comprising: (A) reacting methane with a Y-containing species of formula Y 2 O to obtain Y, carbon monoxide and H 2 ; (B) reacting the Y with H 2 to obtain YH; (C) reacting a boron-containing species of the formula BX 3 with the YH to obtain YHBX 3 ; (D) separately reacting BX 3 with H 2 to obtain B 2 H 6 and HX; and (E) reacting the YHBX 3 with B 2 H 6 to obtain YBH 4 and BX 3 , wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of the alkali metals, pseudo-alkali metals, an ammonium ion, and quaternary amines of formula NR 4 + , wherein R is independently selected from H and straight or branched C1 to C4 alkyl groups; and wherein X is selected from the group consisting of halides, alcohols, alkoxides, chalcogens, and chalcogenides.