332.

Pure methane can be produced by

• Wurtz reaction

• Kolbe's electrolytic method

• soda lime decarboxylation

• reduction with H₂

Methane cannot be produced by Wurtz reaction, Kolbe's electrolytic method and reduction with H₂ because, it has one carbon atom. Pure methane can be produced by the decarboxylation of sodium acetate.

${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COONa} + \mathrm{NaOH}\stackrel{\mathrm{CaOH}}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_4 +{\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{CO}}_3$