The efficient and simultaneously selective conversion of methane to methanol has been one of the most research-intensive topics in catalysis over the past decades. The weaker C-H bond of methanol promotes the production of over-oxidized species. The present computational study examines the catalytic performance of organometallic complexes with electron rich Earth abundant metals (cobalt, nickel, copper, formally negatively charged). A deliberately designed ligand is proposed to secure the negative charge on the metal and enable the formation of stable terminal metal-oxygen bonds. The ligand coordinates the metal with metal-carbon bonds, and the skeleton of the ligand is chosen to constrain the motion of the coordinated carbon atoms, avoiding the insertion of oxygen to the metal-carbon bond. We found that the energy barriers for methane activation are less than 15 kcal/mol across all three metals, and that the turnover frequency is determined by the methanol-release step, which is highly temperature-sensitive. Therefore, solvent effects and temperature can be tuned to improve the overall catalytic efficiency. The most impressive result of our study is that the activation barriers for methane and methanol are competitive (within 1–2 kcal/mol). This observation makes catalysts with electron rich metal centers unique and promising for efficient and selective conversion of methane to methanol.