Browse Articles

Molecular catalysts anchored on electrode surfaces are commonly assumed to behave similarly to their homogeneous counterparts. Under some conditions, however, they can behave like metallic electrodes. Now, the underlying phenomena behind this fresh paradigm in heterogeneous electrocatalysis are uncovered.

Bioelectrochemical CO₂ fixation often suffers from a mismatch between the electrochemical and biological components. Now, a spatial decoupling strategy, where CO₂ electrolysis produces electrolyte-free acetic acid as the feed for engineered yeast fermentation, enables highly productive synthesis of glucose or fatty acids.

Nitrogenase reduces dinitrogen at one of its iron–sulfur cores to produce ammonia by a convoluted mechanism. Now, research highlights the importance of sulfur mobility on one of nitrogenase’s metallocofactors for nitrogen fixation.

Selective electroreduction of CO₂-derived CO presents an opportunity to produce sustainable fuels and chemicals; however, its performance has been below practical levels. Now, an ordered Cu–Pd bimetallic catalyst has been developed for selective electroreduction of CO to acetate at an industrially relevant activity.

Low-temperature CO₂ electrolysis is increasingly attractive for the production of sustainable electrofuels and electrochemicals as intensified research keeps pushing performance higher. Recent efforts on system engineering now offer solutions to downstream purification challenges, taking this technology one step closer to maturity.

Studying the kinetics of high-energy and high-power batteries is a formidable challenge. Now, it has been shown that redox-mediated (RM) catalysis in Li–O₂ and Li–S batteries can be controlled by tuning parameters such as Li-ion concentration or electrolyte solvent, revealing threshold potentials in which rate constants increase several-fold.

Solid catalysts often exhibit a dynamic behaviour when exposed to reactive environments. Now, a study showcases how such behaviour can be exploited to maximize activity.

Of the few known catalytic RNAs in biology, all but the ribosome involve reactions with phosphodiester bonds. Now, a ribozyme that catalyses a completely different reaction was discovered in all three domains of life.

Harnessing a clean, affordable and inexhaustible source of energy is an immense scientific challenge. Scientists moved a step closer in 1972 when the first practical device for direct solar power-to-fuel conversion was reported.

The Haber–Bosch process was introduced at the beginning of the twentieth century; however, its mechanism remained controversial for many years. Thus, a comprehensive mechanistic picture was provided in the eighties.

To produce chemicals and fuels from CO₂ and water while storing excess energy from renewable resources will play a big role in sustainability. Three decades ago, we learned that copper possesses the unique ability to break the stable CO₂ bonds and to form C–C bonds, a key step towards higher-value products.

More than 35 years ago, telomerase activity was discovered by Elizabeth H. Blackburn and Carol W. Greider. Today, this enzyme is a promising approach to curing some age-related diseases as well as cancer, but it took time for telomerase to be in the spotlight.

Methods for the direct one-step replacement of a hydrogen atom in a C–H bond by an organic functional group can create enormous possibilities for synthetic applications. On the way to solve this challenge, the discovery of the reaction of organopalladium complexes with olefins opened a new era in catalysis and organic chemistry.

The ability to control the subtle differences in reaction mechanisms and outcomes is an aspiration of many synthetic chemists. Now protein evolution has enabled the control of selectivity for hydroamination reactions catalysed by gold-based artificial metalloenzymes by favouring dual-gold catalysis over monomeric catalysis.

Computational studies have previously explored the effect of cations and hypothesized their vital role in electrocatalysis. Now, experimental evidence shows that without a cation, CO₂ reduction simply does not take place.

Thermocatalytic hydrogenation is used industrially to produce ethylene at a reasonable purity, but at the cost of expensive catalysts, moderate selectivity, and potentially dangerous process conditions. Now, an electrochemical approach based on copper-based electrodes is suggested as a viable sustainable alternative.

Electric current is now shown to induce movement of the atoms in electrocatalyst nanoparticles, leading to morphological changes and performance degradation. This electromigration effect needs to be taken into account when designing nanostructured catalysts for electrochemical devices.

Catalysts respond to reactive atmospheres, leading to intrinsically distinct active sites and reaction pathways in response to pressure changes. The degree of pressure gap depends on the nanostructure. Now, the gaps and discrepancies in in-situ and operando studies of CO₂-to-CH₃OH using CuZn catalysts have been rationalized.

Polyamines are a growing class of medically and agriculturally active biomolecules that have traditionally been difficult to source. Now, a bio-based platform for high-level production of diverse polyamines has been realized, showing the versatility of biocatalysis and the utility of conceptualizing metabolism as distinct modules.

The design of an original molecular architecture featuring an unusual sterically congested C(sp²)–C(sp³) stereogenic axis with six high rotational barriers results in the formation of six stereoisomers. The configuration of this axis can be controlled by transition metal catalysis and one stereoisomer can be produced selectively.