Methane was oxidatively coupled to ethylene with an ethylene yield up to 85 percent and a total C(2) hydrocarbon yield up to 88 percent in a gas recycle high-temperature (800 degrees C) electrocatalytic or catalytic reactor where the recycled gas passes continuously through a molecular sieve trap in the recycle loop. Oxygen is supplied either electrocatalytically by means of the solid electrolyte support of the silver-based catalyst or in the gas phase. The C(2) products are obtained by subsequent heating of the molecular sieve trap. The selectivity to ethylene is up to 88 percent for methane conversion up to 97 percent.