photocatalysis

Nature Catalysis, Published online: 26 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01561-4 Surface composition governs the catalytic performance of any given material but in mixed oxides it can be particularly challenging to determine this with atomic precision. Now by means of in situ layer-by-layer titration it is shown that single-layer SrO termination maximizes oxygen incorporation on (La0.5Sr0.5)FeO3−…

Nature Communications, Published online: 26 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74846-8 While the oxidative cleavage of olefins is well established, the radical-mediated, chemo- and regioselective cleavages of allene C(sp)–C(sp2) and C(sp3)– C(sp2) bonds remain unresolved challenges in synthetic chemistry. Herein, the authors present base metal-catalyzed cleavage of allenic C(sp)–C(sp2) double bond…

Nature Communications, Published online: 26 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74943-8 Cross-electrophile coupling between unactivated alkyl halides and alkynyl halides has long been challenged by reactivity mismatch and poor chemoselectivity. Here the authors report nickel-catalysed crosselectrophile coupling enabled by a tridentate ligand that controls the sequence of electrophile activation, al…

Nature Catalysis, Published online: 25 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01553-4 The chalcone synthase (CHS)–chalcone isomerase-like protein (CHIL) complex is well defined, however, regulatory mechanisms remain obscure for this complex, as for most metabolons. Now, evaluating transient dynamics of this metabolon reveals that CHS undergoes rapid reversible binding cycles with CHIL and that this tr…

Nature Catalysis, Published online: 25 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01558-z Continuous-flow photocatalysis is frequently hindered by the need to reconcile light absorption, mass transfer, and catalyst recovery, reflecting a fundamental trade-off between molecular efficiency and operational practicality. Now, a study shows that stable covalent organic framework (COF) nanofluids combine struct…

Nature Catalysis, Published online: 25 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01556-1 Electrochemical ammonia splitting promises low-temperature hydrogen release but catalyst poisoning has kept performance far below practical levels. Now, an electrode-alternating strategy allows the same electrode to periodically switch between ammonia oxidation and hydrogen evolution, enabling durable, high-rate hydr…

Nature Catalysis, Published online: 25 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01564-1 Reimagined ketyl chemistry

Nature Catalysis, Published online: 25 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01550-7 Metal leaching is usually regarded as a loss mechanism in heterogeneous catalysis. Now, Hutchings, McIntosh, and colleagues show that physically separated Au/C and Pd/C catalysts can be electrochemically coupled during alcohol oxidation to alter the operating potential of Pd, suppressing dissolution at moderate alkal…

Nature Communications, Published online: 25 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74827-x Ruthenium oxide is active for acidic water electrolysis but degrades under operating conditions. Here, the authors report a cavitation-mediated sonochemical strategy to incorporate boron into Ruthenium oxide, improving its activity and durability for water electrolysis.

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 25 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02181-y Transforming aliphatic aldehydes to ketyl-type radicals has frequently been used for the construction of carbon–carbon bonds, but related reactions of ketones have not yet been reported. This has now been achieved using a radical translocation strategy from ketone-derived silyl cyanohydrins.

Nature Communications, Published online: 24 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74495-x The authors present an inorganic rhodium catalyst obtained by confining subnanometer rhodium clusters within a self-pillared zeolite structure. This catalyst design not only stabilizes the subnanometer active sites but also facilitates efficient mass transport properties during solvent-free olefin hydroformylati…

• The special issue welcomes original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that contribute to the development of sustainable and scalable catalytic solutions for environmental remediation. • Published in Transactions of Tianjin University-Advanced Energy Chemistry and Materials

The development of efficient and environmentally friendly catalytic systems for making sulfur-containing heterocycles remains an important goal in synthetic chemistry. Here we describe a new hybrid nanocatalyst, Bis-GO@SiO2@[(CH2)3Im][Cl], that combines bis-functionalized graphene oxide, a silica coating, and an immobilized imidazolium-based ionic liquid. This material works as a highly active an…

Photocatalytic carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction offers a promising route for converting greenhouse gas into value-added solar fuels under mild conditions. However, the rational regulation of product selectivity, especially the directional conversion of CO2 toward either shallow reduction products such as carbon monoxide (CO) or deep reduction products such as methane (CH4), remains a major challeng…

Nature Communications, Published online: 22 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74592-x The development of catalytic systems for the enantioselective epoxidation of sterically hindered trisubstituted alkenes and the oxidation of sulfilimines to sulfoximines using molecular oxygen (O₂) as the terminal oxidant remains a formidable challenge. Here, the authors report a biomimetic bifunctional photocat…

Spin crossover (SCO) is a well-established phenomenon by which transition-metal complexes can reversibly switch between low- and high-spin states, a phenomenon widely studied in materials chemistry. Recently, transition metal complexes that exhibit SCO have attracted increasing attention as catalysts in chemical reactions. Combining SCO with catalysis presents a promising strategy for creating sw…

Scientists have developed an extremely small and highly efficient catalyst that could improve the production of green hydrogen, one of the cleanest fuels being explored for the future. The international research team, led by scientists from Tohoku University, Tokyo University of Science, Vanderbilt University and the University of Adelaide, created tiny clusters made from only […] The post Tiny 1…

An international research team from Tohoku University, Tokyo University of Science, Vanderbilt University and the University of Adelaide has discovered a novel, exceptionally simple method to precisely synthesize extremely small iridium nanoclusters in ambient air. Such a feat was previously considered highly challenging. In addition, the nanoclusters outperform conventional, commercially availab…