The lack of understanding of the structure of single-atom electrocatalysts hinders their rational design. Now, Fei and colleagues report the synthesis of single-atom nickel, iron, and cobalt catalysts in nitrogen-doped graphene. The structure of the active sites is detailed and allows for the theoretical prediction of their relative activity in oxygen evolution reactions – a structure-activity relationship supported by subsequent experiments.
Edit
Welcome to the first issue of Nature Catalysis. Although the format of Nature Research journals may be familiar to most of our readers, we would like to discuss in this edit the unique aspects of this journal and our goals for the future.
Comment and Opinion
Catalysis is a topic with a surprisingly long and rich history. It seems to have an even brighter future as the challenges facing our society require focus on this discipline more than ever.
News and Views
Research into electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction is mainly limited to fundamental studies that attempt to understand how to overcome the low selectivity and energy efficiency of valuable oxygen products. Now, a scalable and practical oxygenate multi-carbon system produces alcohols with solar-to-chemical efficiencies exceeding 8%.
Identification of Wheland-type Intermediates
It is generally assumed that the electrophilic substitution of aromatic compounds on zeolites occurs via a Wheland-type intermediate, although no direct experimental evidence exists. Now, this carbene ion has been identified as a stable intermediate in the alkylation of benzene with ethanol on an industrial zeolite catalyst.
Water Oxidation Catalysis Using Natural Metal
In nature, manganese catalysts are used for photocatalytic water oxidation, but efforts to develop synthetic manganese-based catalysts are hindered by the instability of manganese compounds. Using a bulky ligand and water-soluble complex, the dissolved manganese complex Mn12 has been found to be a stable and effective catalyst for electrochemical water oxidation.
Reviews
Chemical and biological catalysts offer distinct advantages and disadvantages to the synthetic chemist. This review focuses on efforts to merge chemical and biological catalysts, illustrating the opportunities that can be achieved with this approach and the efforts to overcome any incompatibilities between these different systems.
Research
Bioethanol-based alkylation of benzene is a sustainable pathway that can be converted to tradable chemicals, but little is known about the reaction mechanism. Here, Weckhuysen and colleagues study the zeolite-catalyzed alkylation of benzene with ethanol, identifying the active alkylation agent and demonstrating the presence of a σ-complex intermediate.
Technical Synthesis Involving Carbon Dioxide Analysis and Fermentation
Generating valuable chemicals from carbon dioxide and renewable energy is an attractive but challenging endeavor. In this work, long-term operation of commercial cathodes for efficient carbon dioxide reduction is reported, followed by the fermentation of the product into alcohol to complete the technical fermentation.
Imine Conversion Using Simple Alkaline Metal Catalysts
The hydrogenation process is one of the most commonly conducted catalytic processes at the laboratory and industrial levels, typically carried out using noble metal catalysts. Here, researchers demonstrate that alkaline earth metal compounds can convert imines under mild conditions.
Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation by Natural Metal
In nature, manganese catalysts are used for photocatalytic water oxidation, but efforts to develop synthetic manganese-based catalysts are hindered by the instability of manganese compounds. Using a bulky ligand and water-soluble complex, the dissolved manganese complex Mn12 has been found to be a stable and effective catalyst for electrochemical water oxidation.
Selective Biological Control via Remote Magnetic Field
If biocatalysis is selective, it holds great potential for the controlled release of drugs and other payloads. Here, Minko and colleagues separate enzymes and substrates by loading them onto individually coated polymeric particles, demonstrating that the magnetic field activates the catalytic activity by integrating polymer shells.
Conversion
Complete Lignocellulose with Integrated Catalyst Recycling for the Production of Aromatic Compounds and Valuable Fuels
Lignocellulose is produced in large quantities as waste but offers the potential for inexpensive and renewable sources of organic compounds. Here, we present a process through which useful products can be obtained from all the main components of lignocellulose, resulting in complete conversion and therefore enabling integrated catalyst recycling.
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