Systems and methods include providing a gaseous alkane input stream and metal sulfide (MSx) particles that can react with an alkane in the gaseous alkane input stream to generate an alkene, a reduced metal sulfide (MSx−1) particle, and at least one of: hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and at least one sulfur containing compound selected from: S2, CS, and CS2. A product stream can be collected that includes the alkene and at least one of: hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and the at least one sulfur containing compound. A reduced metal sulfide (MSx−1) particle reacts with sulfur in a sulfur stream and can generate the metal sulfide (MSx) particle and hydrogen (H2).