Escalating energy demand, the depletion of fossil fuels, and abnormal climate change are recognized as the key challenges in the 21st century. The valorization of biomass and plastic, representing the most abundant natural and man-made polymers, respectively, as alternatives to fossil fuel is one of the promising solutions to creating a carbon-neutral, waste-free society. Catalysis is an essential tool for manipulating energy transformations via bond-breaking and bond-forming principles. To producing chemicals and fuels via biomass valorization and plastic upcycling, the cleavage of C–O and C–C bonds is the major catalytic route, given that the two are mainly constructed by various interunit C–O and C–C linkages. In this work, a consensus concerning the catalytic mechanism is reached: the activities for the cleavage of C–O and C–C bonds highly depend on the catalyst ability to activate the C–O and C–C bonds. Among the catalysts reported, NbO_x-based catalysts show a unique, superstrong ability to activate C–O and C–C bonds. While research on biomass valorization over NbO_x-based catalysts maintains its momentum, plastic upcycling driven by an efficient NbO_x-based catalyst capable of activating C–O and C–C bonds is quickly catching up. Therefore, deepening the understanding of NbO_x-based catalysts for the activation of C–O and C–C bonds is of importance to further drive biomass valorization and plastic upcycling, even in many other related areas. Herein, we present progress on the activation of C–O and C–C bonds in waste carbon resources, with an emphasis on our own work in using NbO_x-based catalysts. First, we introduce NbO_x-based catalysts for the activation of C–O and C–C bonds in biomass with a special focus on explaining how NbO_x-based catalysts activate C–O and C–C bonds and why NbO_x-based catalysts can activate C–O and C–C bonds so efficiently. Then, unified descriptors to embody the abilities to extract O from oxygenated compounds and an adsorbed benzene ring, namely “oxygen affinity” and “benzene ring affinity”, were defined to standardize C–O and C_arom–C_aliph activation chemistry. Furthermore, we highlight the emerging opportunities of NbO_x-based catalysts for plastic upcycling by learning the wisdom accumulated from the activation of C–O and C–C bonds in biomass. Finally, our own insights into future recommendations in this promising field are provided.

中文翻译：

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NbOx 基催化剂在废碳资源增值中的 C-O 和 C-C 键活化

不断增长的能源需求、化石燃料的枯竭和异常的气候变化被认为是 21 世纪的主要挑战。分别代表最丰富的天然和人造聚合物的生物质和塑料的增值，作为化石燃料的替代品，是创建碳中和、无废物社会的有希望的解决方案之一。催化是通过断键和成键原理操纵能量转换的重要工具。对于通过生物质增值和塑料升级循环生产化学品和燃料，C-O 和 C-C 键的裂解是主要的催化途径，因为这两者主要由各种单元间 C-O 和 C-C 键构成。在这项工作中，就催化机制达成了共识：C-O 和 C-C 键的断裂活性高度依赖于催化剂活化 C-O 和 C-C 键的能力。在报道的催化剂中，NbO_x基催化剂显示出独特的、超强的活化 C-O 和 C-C 键的能力。虽然基于 NbO _x基催化剂的生物质增值研究保持其势头，但由能够激活 C-O 和 C-C 键的高效 NbO _x基催化剂驱动的塑料升级循环正在迅速赶上。因此，加深对用于活化 C-O 和 C-C 键的 NbO _x基催化剂的理解对于进一步推动生物质增值和塑料升级循环至关重要，即使在许多其他相关领域也是如此。在此，我们介绍了废碳资源中 C-O 和 C-C 键活化的进展，重点介绍了我们自己在使用 NbO _x基催化剂方面的工作。首先，我们介绍 NbO _x用于活化生物质中的 C-O 和 C-C 键的催化剂，特别侧重于解释基于 NbO _x的催化剂如何活化 C-O 和 C-C 键以及为什么基于 NbO _x的催化剂可以活化 C-O和 C-C 键如此有效。然后，定义了统一的描述符以体现从含氧化合物和吸附的苯环中提取 O 的能力，即“氧亲和力”和“苯环亲和力”，以标准化 C-O 和 C_芳-C_脂肪族活化化学。此外，我们强调了 NbO _{x的新兴机遇}通过学习从生物质中 C-O 和 C-C 键的活化积累的智慧，用于塑料升级循环的催化剂。最后，我们对这个有前途的领域的未来建议提供了自己的见解。