Exploring Acid–Catalyzed Processes: Strategies and Applications
A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Industrial Catalysis".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 29
Special Issue Editor
Interests: acid catalysis; including isomerization reaction; oligomerization reaction; aromatization reaction; hydro-cracking reaction; alkylation reaction; adsorption separation; selective hydrogenation; esterification; etherification; biomass pyrolysis; base catalysis, including ester exchange
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Acid catalysis is among the oldest tools in synthetic chemistry, yet it is undergoing a dramatic renaissance. Spurred by tightening environmental regulations and the global shift toward renewable carbon, researchers are moving beyond corrosive mineral acids and stoichiometric Lewis acids to create tunable solid acids, switchable Brønsted ionic liquids, and single-site heterogeneous catalysts that rival or exceed the activity and selectivity of their homogeneous counterparts. During the past decade, operando spectroscopy and data-driven computation have transformed our understanding of proton-transfer pathways, enabling predictive design of acid strength and confinement effects. These insights have translated directly to scalable processes: cellulose is now depolymerized to glucose in water under mild pH, lignin-derived phenolics are upgraded to jet-fuel aromatics in fixed-bed reactors, and pharmaceutical intermediates are produced in continuous flow with E-factors below 5. Looking ahead, the integration of acid catalysis with electro-, photo- and mechanochemistry, together with reactor–separation coupling and AI-guided discovery, is poised to deliver next-generation processes that are not only highly efficient but also fully aligned with circular-economy principles. This Special Issue captures the full trajectory—from fundamental mechanism to industrial implementation—highlighting the strategies and applications that define the current frontier of acid-catalyzed science.
Dr. Yueqin Song
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- acid catalysis
- solid acids
- green chemistry
- biomass valorization
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