Themed collection Most downloaded articles of 2017: Energy and Catalysis

This perspective examines the progress that has been made in using non-covalent interactions to control regioselectivity and site-selectivity in catalysis.

A dual catalytic system based on earth-abundant elements reduces aromatic ketones and aldehydes to alcohols in aqueous media under visible light. An unprecedented selectivity for the reduction of aromatic ketones versus aliphatic aldehydes is reported.

An unprecendented direct alkylation of unfunctionalized allylic/benzylic sp³ C–H bonds via photoredox induced radical cation deprotonation is disclosed.

The catalyst comprising Cu(II)/chiral hydroxamic acid was found to play a bifunctional role in the direct aldol reaction of α-N₃ amide to alkynyl CF₃ ketones.

We present a convenient chemical conversion strategy for the synthesis of CoP porous ultrathin nanosheets as highly efficient catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction.

A general efficient regioselective cobalt catalyzed carbonylation of unactivated C(sp³)–H bonds of aliphatic amides was demonstrated using atmospheric (1–2 atm) carbon monoxide as a C1 source.

A bifunctional imidazolium functionalized Zr-based metal–organic framework, (I⁻)Meim-UiO-66, was successfully prepared, which can serve as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst towards the capture and coupling of CO₂ with epoxides.

A new method for Co/NHPI-catalyzed aerobic C–H oxygenation shows excellent tolerance of electronically diverse heterocycles.

We propose the great potential of single atom catalysts (SACs) for CO₂ electroreduction with high activity and selectivity predictions over a competitive H₂ evolution reaction. We find the lack of an atomic ensemble for adsorbate binding and unique electronic structure of the single atom catalysts play an important role.

An ionic liquid/water electrolyte promotes excellent selectivity for CO₂ electroreduction to formic acid at a porous dendritic copper electrode material.

A fluorinated indolo[3,2-b]indole (IDID) derivative is prepared as a crystalline hole transporting material for perovskite solar cells. A fluorinated IDID backbone enables a tight molecular stacking by π–π interaction. The device fabricated using IDIDF exhibits a PCE of 19%.