The utilization of methane, which is the main constituent of natural gas, coal-bed gas, shale gas, and the vast gas hydrate resources, for the production of chemicals is one of the most challenging research targets in chemistry. Xiamen University (2011-ichem) has developed a novel two-step reaction route for transformation of methane to propylene via monohalogenomethane (CH3Cl or CH3Br) (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.,2012, 51, 2438-2442). The oxidative chlorination or bromination of CH4 proceeds in the first step catalyzed by CeO2 nanocubes, and the produced CH3Cl or CH3Br is further converted to propylene with an excellent selectivity in the second step over F-modified H-ZSM-5.