In this activity article, Rafaella Buonsanti (tenure track at EPFL) and Stafford W. Sheehan (chief technology officer at Air Company) discuss research objectives and key challenges for scaling up electrochemical and thermochemical CO2 utilization.

In this activity article, Raffaella Buonsanti (tenure track at EPFL) and Stafford W. Sheehan (chief technology officer at Air Company) exchange views from academic and industrial perspectives on catalyst discovery for electrochemical CO2 conversion.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Han and co-workers combine first-principles calculations with a machine-learning technique to search ternary electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction. The predicted promising PtFeCu nanoparticles were validated by experimental tests, showing both higher activity and more durable stability than commercial Pt/C.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Walczak and co-workers introduce a carbastannatrane alanine derivative that facilitates amino acid side-chain functionalizations via C–C, C–S, and C–Se bond formation using Stille cross-coupling reactions. Applications in late-stage peptide modifications and macrocyclizations further exemplify the value of this novel building block.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Wang et al. describe a selective silylation strategy using HMDSO to boost propylene epoxidation with H2 and O2 over Au/TS-1 with blocked micropores. Removal of silanol groups from TS-1 hinders propylene-oxide (re)adsorption, thereby enhancing product selectivity and catalyst stability.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Liu et al. report an efficient strategy to optimize the C1 intermediate diffusion over an OX-ZEO catalyst through rationally distributing the Cr2O3 on ZSM-5 zeolite in an oriented manner, thus boosting the syngas-to-aromatics conversion.

The direct conversion of biomass into biomethane with high selectivity is important but challenging due to its robust C-C and C-O bonds. In a study recently published in Joule, Wang and co-workers reported an oxygen-vacancy-mediated catalytic system for the direct biomass methanation and showed that an 82%–99% yield of methane can be obtained over Ru/TiO2 catalyst under 200°C.

Recently in Nature Nanotechnology, Lu and co-workers reported that a linear metal trimer, consisting of a Ni atom bridged by two Cu atoms via hydroxyls, catalyzed the selective hydrogenation of acetylene with exceptionally higher activity and stability than did the monometallic Ni single-atom catalyst. The active Ni atom floated locally upon acetylene adsorption but was fully restored after ethylene

Françoise Colobert (professor at the University of Strasbourg) and Bingfeng Shi (professor and vice dean of the Department of Chemistry at Zhejiang University) introduce a new method of generating C–N atropisomeric compounds and discuss the challenges associated with the efficiency and stereoinduction during this coupling of two sterically hindered precursors.

Bingfeng Shi (professor and vice dean of the Department of Chemistry at Zhejiang University) and Françoise Colobert (professor at the University of Strasbourg) discuss dynamic kinetic resolution via C–H functionalization as a strategy for controlling the C–N atropisomeric axis of preformed C–N bonds.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, de Ruiter and co-workers report a highly efficient and selective method for isomerization of a wide variety of terminal alkenes, employing the well-defined anionic complex [(PCNHCP)Fe(H)N2][Na]. This work also includes important insights about the structure and reactivity of the iron intermediates involved in the catalytic cycle.

The emergence of high-entropy materials has afforded transformative opportunities for catalyst discovery and optimization. In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Zhang and colleagues explore the chemistry of synthesizing spinel-type high-entropy MgAl2O4 and demonstrate that a rational entropic design gives rise to the fabrication of durable catalysts for methane oxidation.

The current chemical industry is encountering an urgent need for CO2 reduction. Producing CO and H2 from CO2 and H2O by using renewable electricity might be a feasible solution to produce “carbon-neutral” chemicals and fuels. Developing easily scalable catalysts is key to this. In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Hahn and co-workers show that Zn–Cu catalysts enable efficient CO2 electro-reduction.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Kempe and co-workers disclose a general and efficient catalytic synthesis of 1,3-diketones via dehydrogenative rearrangement of esters. The reported process provides an attractive alternative to conventional crossed Claisen condensation, avoiding the generation of alcohol by-products.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, the Larrosa research group develops a synthetic methodology that enables the formation of aryl–alkyl bonds, via C–H activation, by the use of a p-cymene-free mono-cyclometalated Ru(II) catalyst and primary alkyl bromides as coupling partners.

The realization of compatibility between the abiotic and biological components is critically important for building a successful hybrid biological/inorganic system. In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Lu et al. demonstrate a prototype hybrid system along with a unique methodology to enhance the communication between the abiotic and biological components for electrically converting N2/CO2 into value-added

Because organophosphate-based nerve agents still pose a significant threat to society, development of an efficient catalyst for detoxification is highly desirable and yet challenging. In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Farha et al. report a Zr-MOF/hydrogel composite for rapid hydrolysis of nerve agents and achieve the highest efficiency to date under practical conditions.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Hu and Duan’s group report an innovative configuration-matching strategy on diatomic site electrocatalysts boosting oxygen-evolution performance, which outperforms the reported transition-metal-Nx-based single atomic catalysts up to date. This research provides a promising approach for the design of novel catalysts.

Acid-stable electrocatalysts for water oxidation with sufficiently high activity are essential for their scalable utilization in commercial proton exchange membranes-based electrolyzers. Recently in Joule, Ge and colleagues reported the activation of localized lattice-oxygen redox for highly active and durable oxygen evolution reaction in acidic electrolytes.

In this Activity article, Sourav K. Sengupta (DuPont Laureate) and Cathy Chin (associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Advanced Catalysis for Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Toronto) discuss the importance of finding new routes to producing chemicals, fuels, and materials from renewable feedstocks for a more sustainable future.

In this Activity article, Cathy Chin (associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Advanced Catalysis for Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Toronto) and Sourav K. Sengupta (DuPont Laureate) exchange views on academic and industrial partnerships to obtain new fundamental insights for accelerating process discovery and optimization.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Martí-Gastaldos, Gascón, and co-workers describe how to take advantage of a crystalline, well-defined material to obtain a mixed oxide with an Fe/Ti ratio impossible to attain by conventional co-precipitation and that exhibits remarkable stability and selectivity as a catalyst for reverse water-gas shift.

Selectively converting syngas to target hydrocarbon products is highly desired but challenging. In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Liu, Zhu, and co-workers report a (CZA + Al2O3)/N-ZSM-5(97) dual-bed catalyst for direct syngas conversion to gasoline, with which they achieved C5–11 selectivity as high as 80.6% at 86.3% CO conversion with no deactivation in 110 h.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Zhang et al. describe a method to electrochemically hydrogenate nitriles to primary amines on nanostructured copper electrocatalysts. Through the implementation of CO2-saturated electrolytes, the primary amines are reversibly converted to carbamic acids or carbamates, which prevents their condensation into secondary or tertiary amines.

The development of new methods to explore catalysts under conditions of operation is critical for materials innovation. In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Pushkar and co-workers investigate the photosystem II analog cubane compound [Co4O4Py4 Ac4] (Py= pyridine and Ac= CH3COO−) under conditions of water-oxidation catalysis at low pH.

Classic Brook rearrangements via anionic migration of silyl groups are employed extensively in the transformation of organosilicon compounds. However, radical-mediated Brook rearrangements remain underexplored. In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Shen and co-workers disclose an organophotocatalytic 1,2-Brook rearrangement to efficiently provide allyl tert-(hetero)cyclobutanols and investigate their subsequent

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Lin and co-workers describe a promising approach for selectively producing high-value products—such as jet fuel and lubricants—from waste polyethylene and other polyolefin polymers. They report a liquid-phase catalytic hydrogenolysis process to efficiently convert high-density polyethylene under relatively mild conditions.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Huang, Li, and co-workers report an innovative strategy for suppressing unwanted hydrogen oxidation in preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide (CO-PROX). Through plasmonic excitation of gold, lead oxide is selectively photodeposited at the interface, poisoning highly active but nonselective sites.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Koenigs and co-workers report an efficient photocatalytic system for activated C(sp3)−H bond functionalization at room temperature. This approach, based on visible-light-induced ruthenium catalysis, allows for selective αC−H alkylation of amides under mild reaction conditions.

In this Activity article, Christian Kugge (R&D specialist at Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget) and Peter J. Deuss (tenure-track assistant professor of green and smart biomass processing at the University of Groningen) exchange views from industrial and academic perspectives, respectively, on the future research directions for lignin valorization and the challenges associated with the production of fuels

In this Activity article, Peter J. Deuss (tenure-track assistant professor of green and smart biomass processing at the University of Groningen) and Christian Kugge (R&D specialist at Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget) discuss the catalytic routes to transforming lignin into higher-value products and the opportunities for industry and academia to develop new technologies.