Room-temperature, catalyst-free alkane chlorination

A process for alkane chlorination comprising: (a) providing an aqueous solution comprising dissolved alkanes selected from methane, ethane or combinations thereof; (b) providing an 0.005 to 0.050 M aqueous solution of trichloroisocyanuric acid, wherein the trichloroisocyanuric acid in solution forms cyanuric acid and hypochlorous acid; and (c) contacting the aqueous solution comprising dissolved alkanes with the aqueous solution of trichloroisocyanuric acid, wherein a liquid phase reaction between the dissolved alkanes and the hypochlorous acid forms a gaseous product stream comprising at least one of chloromethane and chloroethane.