Homogeneous & Interfacial Catalysis in 3D Controlled Environments Research Highlights

Catalytic Carbon–Oxygen Bond Cleavage

The oxophilicity of lanthanide complexes is leveraged for catalytic C–O cleavage via hydroboration. The proposed mechanism indicates that the reactive La-H is protected and activated as borate adduct, yielding high catalytic rates and turnover numbers.

Deciphering Complex Reaction Network for On-Demand Selective Chemical Production

Controlling Water-Surface Interactions Enhances Catalytic Performance in C-C Bond Forming Reactions

A new catalyst that allows using water instead of organic solvents in C-C bond forming reactions is presented. A simple method is developed for regulating the dielectric properties of solid-liquid interfaces. This approach can decrease the environmental impact of catalytic conversions.

Pathway for C1 Conversion into Acetate Energy Carrier is Dictated by Kinetics in both Synthetic and Natural Systems

Metal acetate compounds mediate methane activation; this together with the new oxidative carbonylation suggests new approaches for CH4 utilization in chemical synthesis.

Dynamics of Reactant Binding at the Water-Solid Interface in Nanostructured Pd/CeO2 Catalyst

Understanding how reactants bind to active sites at solid-liquid interfaces is fundamental to guiding the design of new catalysts for conversions via low-energy pathways.

Spatial Distribution of Surface Functional Groups Revealed by DNP-enhanced Solid-State NMR

Understanding the atomic-scale distribution of surface-bound sites is of fundamental importance for rational design of catalysts and other functional materials, yet remained a challenge for spectroscopists.