Themed collection Catalysis in Green Chemistry: Key Highlights

In this review paper, recent developments of iron oxide nanoparticles are highlighted and discussed in the field of organic catalysis and environmental remediation.

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), as a mild oxidant and promising liquid fuel, has widespread application potential in energy and environment fields.

Recent advances in electroreductive upgradation of biomass to high-value chemicals and energy-intensive biofuels via various transformation routes are showcased.

Survey and comparison of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic processes for acceptorless dehydrogenation of glycerol and ethanol based on green metrics.

Production of value-added chemicals from renewable feedstocks is an attractive platform to alleviate the shortage of petroleum resources and to minimize CO₂ emissions.

Aerobic photocatalysis generates ROS to oxidise HMF into DFF and FDCA with co-production of H₂O₂ that potentially induce over-oxidation. Anaerobic photocatalysis enables ambient HMF oxidation with simultaneous HER, or hydrogenation of HMF to BHMF.

This work develops a sustainable bioelectrocatalysis system for furfural valorization. It enables selective hydrogenation to furfuryl alcohol under mild conditions, recycling NADH without mediators using COFs-encapsulated enzymes as a bioelectrode.

The incorporation of Fe into bimetallic AuPd nanoalloys significantly improves catalytic performance towards H₂O₂ direct synthesis via the electronic modification of Pd species.

The conversion pathway of glucose to glucan oligomers and catalyst recycling are presented.

Reactive oxygen species generated from the inertial collapse of a gas bubble trapped on the surface of an MC-CuO cavity selectively oxidize glucose into glucuronic acid.

La-modified Al₂O₃-supported Ni nanoparticles were developed as effective dual functional materials for direct capture of low-concentration CO₂ and selective hydrogenation to CH₄ under mild reaction conditions.

Dendritic ZSM-5 zeolites were studied for isomerizing monoterpene epoxides like limonene, α-pinene, and β-pinene epoxides, producing valuable compounds for fragrances, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

Precursors of ammonium salt biosurfactants have been obtained from HMF by coupling cobalt-catalyzed reductive amination with selective bio-esterification using an immobilized lipase CALB. The process has been optimized in batch and flow reactors.

A single sorbent-catalytic (non-noble metal) material has been developed for the integrated direct air capture and catalytic conversion of captured CO₂ into C-C coupled products.

Trametes versicolor's laccase (LacTV) was efficient catalyst in HMF oxidation to FDCA. Its use in an enzymatic and photocatalytic cascade process permitted a 40-fold increase in FDCA productivity compared to traditional enzymatic batch systems.

The combination of missing-linker and missing-cluster defects within the UiO-66(Zr) MOF structure dramatically boosts the catalytic performance of the material.

To stabilize Ni⁰/Ni²⁺ during the CH₄OR process, herein, we have successfully developed a general oxidation strategy for the direct synthesis of transition metal oxides by O₂ cold plasma treatment of Ni⁰, including NiO, to generate a Ni⁰/Ni²⁺-on-Cu interface.

A Pt–Fe bimetallic catalyst is developed to produce 1,2-pentanediol from furfural under mild conditions of 140  °C and 0.1 MPa H₂, affording by far the highest production rate.

The grand transition towards green pathways for chemical production, alongside ambitious climate policies, could achieve 90% reduction in climate change impacts by 2050, while fossil routes offer a reduction of 10% in the best case.

This work proposes a novel and stable Ni-based catalyst supported by spongy mesoporous alumina and has achieved an enhancement of hydrogen production.

Ultrafine Pt nanoparticles were successfully anchored on a polyimide-based covalent triazine framework for the selective hydrogenation of halogenated nitrobenzenes and tandem hydrogenation-coupling reaction to halogenated secondary amines.

Upcycling waste polystyrene into valuable chemicals acetophenone and benzoic acid is developed through an innovative and environmentally-friendly photocatalytic process involving a metal-free carbon catalyst.

Hydrotalcite catalysed liquid phase glucose isomerisation in EtOH.

We highlight the role of OH-treated weakly acidic ZSM-5 in the ethanol-to-ethylene at low temperature. Ethylene forms via (i) primary dimer from ethanol on Brønsted sites, followed by diethyl ether cracking on Lewis sites, and (ii) secondary cleavage of C–OH in ethanol over Brønsted sites.

Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) derived from sugars through an environmentally friendly process catalysed by metal triflate/choline chloride system is presented in this study.