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Emerging Topics in Catalytic Reactions: From Catalyst Preparation to Application...
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Emerging Topics in Catalytic Reactions: From Catalyst Preparation to Application in Diverse Fields

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2027 | Viewed by 4074

Editors

Prof. Dr. Lingbo Qu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Chemistry, Henan Academy of Sciences (ICHAS), Zhengzhou 450002, China
Interests: food chemistry; analytical chemistry
Prof. Dr. Bing Yu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: green chemistry; catalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rui Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore
Interests: catalysis; biochemistry
Dr. Kai Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: photoredox; radical reaction; green chemistry; organofluorine chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to present the latest advances in the field of catalysis, highlighting interdisciplinary research on catalyst preparation, decomposition, and application. We invite original research articles and reviews focusing on the following topics:

  • Novel methods for the synthesis and structural characterization of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts.
  • Mechanistic studies on catalyst decomposition, deactivation, and regeneration.
  • Innovative catalytic systems for promoting organic transformations, including but not limited to oxidation, reduction, coupling, and polymerization reactions.
  • Applications of catalysis in food chemistry include the development of catalysts for food processing, quality enhancement, and safety improvement.
  • In-depth investigations into structure–activity relationships and the development of sustainable catalytic processes.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Lingbo Qu
Prof. Dr. Bing Yu
Dr. Rui Li
Dr. Kai Sun
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • photocatalysis
  • organic synthesis
  • photothermal reactions
  • enzyme mimic catalysis
  • synthetic methodology
  • homogeneous catalysis
  • heterogeneous catalysis
  • electrocatalysis
  • cooperative catalysis
  • gas conversion
  • nanoenzymes
  • food processing

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2063 KB  
Article
Mixed N3S2-Ligated Nonheme Fe(IV)=O Species Balancing Stability and Oxidation Reactivity as a Platform for Nonheme Iron Oxidation Catalysis
by Hanaa Mansour, Ahmed M. Albasiony, Safaa N. Abdou, Mohamed M. Ibrahim, Rudi van Eldik and Shaban Y. Shaban
Catalysts 2026, 16(7), 631; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16070631 - 13 Jul 2026
Viewed by 424
Abstract
Mononuclear nonheme iron(IV)–oxo species supported by mixed nitrogen–sulfur (N/S) ligands remain scarce, despite the prevalence of sulfur donors in biological iron sites and their expected impact on ferryl reactivity and catalyst design. In this work, a seven-coordinate iron(II) complex, [(N3S2 [...] Read more.
Mononuclear nonheme iron(IV)–oxo species supported by mixed nitrogen–sulfur (N/S) ligands remain scarce, despite the prevalence of sulfur donors in biological iron sites and their expected impact on ferryl reactivity and catalyst design. In this work, a seven-coordinate iron(II) complex, [(N3S2)FeII(ClO4)2], bearing a rigid 15-membered N3S2 macrocycle, is shown to rapidly generate a mononuclear nonheme FeIV=O intermediate upon reaction with m-chloroperbenzoic (m-CPBA) acid in acetonitrile. The FeIV=O species forms within ≤2 s and is thermally persistent (t1/2 = 4.3 h at 25 °C), albeit in partial yield (~39% FeIV=O by Mössbauer spectroscopy), placing it in an intermediate regime between highly reactive but short-lived ferryl species and more inert, long-lived analogues. The intermediate is characterized by Mössbauer spectroscopy (δ = 0.35 mm s−1, ΔEQ = 0.90 mm s−1, ΓFWHM = 0.30 mm s−1, relative area = 39.4%), EPR silence, a UV–vis absorption band at 428 nm, and cryogenic high-resolution ESI–MS (m/z 223.510, (N3S2)FeIV=O2+). Stopped-flow kinetic studies reveal saturation behavior that is well described by a pre-equilibrium oxidant-association model and subsequent O–O bond activation, with apparent activation parameters of ΔH‡ = 17.7 kJ mol−1 and ΔS‡ = −155 J mol−1 K−1, indicating a highly ordered transition state within the seven-coordinate N3S2 framework under the conditions employed. Functionally, the FeIV=O species mediates clean oxygen-atom transfer to triphenylphosphine (k2 = 8.1 × 10−2 M−1 s−1) with an effective turnover number of ~12 after correction for the FeIV=O yield, establishing that this mixed N/S platform is catalytically competent under mild conditions, though less reactive than state-of-the-art all-nitrogen systems. Collectively, these findings identify the seven-coordinate N3S2 macrocycle as a mixed-donor platform that moderately extends ferryl lifetime while retaining measurable oxo-transfer reactivity, providing mechanistic guidance for the development of nonheme iron oxidation catalysts that incorporate sulfur donors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Catalytic Reactions: From Catalyst Preparation to Application in Diverse Fields)
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17 pages, 7004 KB  
Article
Selective Gas-Phase γ-Picoline Oxidation over V–Mn Oxide Catalyst: Feed Conditions and System Deactivation Resistance
by Kairat Kadirbekov, Nurdaulet Buzayev, Tileutai Abildin, Svetlana Yermukhanova, Mels Oshakbayev, Kamilla Khakimbolatova and Gulnara Seitkhal
Catalysts 2026, 16(7), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16070610 - 3 Jul 2026
Viewed by 696
Abstract
The selective gas-phase oxidation of γ-picoline (γ-P) to isonicotinic acid (INA)—a key precursor for the anti-tuberculosis drug isoniazid—was investigated over a V–Mn oxide catalyst as a solvent-free, waste-minimizing alternative to conventional liquid-phase synthesis routes. XRD and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the formation of a [...] Read more.
The selective gas-phase oxidation of γ-picoline (γ-P) to isonicotinic acid (INA)—a key precursor for the anti-tuberculosis drug isoniazid—was investigated over a V–Mn oxide catalyst as a solvent-free, waste-minimizing alternative to conventional liquid-phase synthesis routes. XRD and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the formation of a stable manganese vanadate crystalline phase with a high concentration of terminal vanadyl groups (V=O), providing well-defined redox-active sites. Water vapour proved essential for sustainable process performance: at an optimal H2O/substrate molar ratio of 98, γ-picoline conversion reached 94.8% with INA selectivity of 86.5%, eliminating the need for hazardous solvents or additives. NH3-TPD and kinetic analysis revealed that water vapour acts as a competitive adsorbent at vanadium Lewis acid sites, accelerating target product desorption and suppressing deep oxidation to COx—directly reducing carbon waste. Long-term stability was assessed over 96 h of continuous operation: the 23.4% decline in specific surface area correlated with an equivalent reduction in total acidity, while pore diameter expansion from 2.07 to 3.25 nm mitigated diffusion limitations, partially compensating for deactivation. These findings establish the V–Mn oxide system as a promising green catalytic platform for upgrading petrochemical fractions into high-value pharmaceutical intermediates with reduced environmental impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Catalytic Reactions: From Catalyst Preparation to Application in Diverse Fields)
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20 pages, 2640 KB  
Article
Hydrothermally Synthesized Spinel Nanoferrites as Magnetically Separable and Recyclable Visible-Light Photocatalysts for Degradation of Hydrophilic Organic Pollutant
by Chien-Yie Tsay and Tai-Ting Ho
Catalysts 2026, 16(6), 531; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16060531 - 9 Jun 2026
Viewed by 504
Abstract
The objective of this study is to develop a nanosized, visible-light-responsive photocatalyst with magnetic separability and recyclability for repeated use. Spinel ferrite nanoparticles, which are environmentally friendly, are promising candidates for achieving this goal. Spinel ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized via a low-temperature hydrothermal [...] Read more.
The objective of this study is to develop a nanosized, visible-light-responsive photocatalyst with magnetic separability and recyclability for repeated use. Spinel ferrite nanoparticles, which are environmentally friendly, are promising candidates for achieving this goal. Spinel ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized via a low-temperature hydrothermal method to investigate their microstructural characteristics, magnetic properties, and photocatalytic performance. Initially, four ternary spinel ferrite (MFe2O4, where M = Mg, Mn, Co, and Zn) nanoparticles were compared in terms of their physical properties and photodegradation efficiencies of organic dye methylene blue (MB). Among them, the MgFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4 samples exhibited superior photocatalytic activity compared to the MnFe2O4 and CoFe2O4 samples. Subsequently, a systematic investigation of the Zn–Mg ferrite system (Zn1−xMgxFe2O4, x = 0 to 0.8 in increments of 0.2) was carried out. The results revealed that the x = 0.8 samples achieved the highest photodegradation efficiency of 99 for a 10 MB aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation for 90 min. This improved performance is attributed to formation of a heterojunction of Zn–Mg nanoferrite/Fe2O3, which promotes light harvesting and prevents photogenerated charge recommendation, thus significantly improving photocatalytic activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Catalytic Reactions: From Catalyst Preparation to Application in Diverse Fields)
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Review

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25 pages, 2637 KB  
Review
Recent Advances in Electrochemical Ozone Production (EOP) in Pure Water Systems
by Yichan Wen, Jiaqi Niu, Qianyu Wang, Bing Yu and Lingbo Qu
Catalysts 2026, 16(3), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16030225 - 2 Mar 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1642
Abstract
Electrochemical ozone production (EOP) for generating ozone (O3) directly in pure water presents a sustainable alternative to conventional methods. This review focuses on the advanced Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) electrolyzer, analyzing its fundamental thermodynamics, mechanisms, and key performance indicators. The core [...] Read more.
Electrochemical ozone production (EOP) for generating ozone (O3) directly in pure water presents a sustainable alternative to conventional methods. This review focuses on the advanced Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) electrolyzer, analyzing its fundamental thermodynamics, mechanisms, and key performance indicators. The core discussion centers on the MEA architecture, with an in-depth critique of anode catalysts (including cost-effective alternatives) and strategies to enhance O3 selectivity over the competing oxygen evolution reaction. The role of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane is also examined. Furthermore, the review assesses how operational parameters and detection methods determine overall system efficiency and stability. It concludes by identifying challenges and future directions, underscoring the potential of MEA-based EOP for practical, on-site O3 generation in pure water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Catalytic Reactions: From Catalyst Preparation to Application in Diverse Fields)
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