A CO2 electrolyser with high flux for stable production of high-concentration formate Nature Catalysis, Published online: 16 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01533-8Direct electroreduction of CO2 to produce high-concentration formate is challenged by the low flux of liquids in typical catholyte-free membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). Now, a high-flux MEA using core–shell Cu/Bi nanowires grown on three-dimensional Cu foam as the cathode enables CO2 electroreduction to high-concentration formate with high selectivity and stability.

New online! A CO2 electrolyser with high flux for stable production of high-concentration formate

Breaking insulating barriers in solid-phase conversion reactions with dual-atom catalysts for high-energy lithium batteries Nature Catalysis, Published online: 15 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01525-8Conversion-type batteries involving solid–solid transformations can store more energy than intercalation materials; however, their rates and cyclability have been limited by kinetics and incomplete conversion. This study introduces homonuclear dual-atom catalysts that increase the conductivity of insulating solid intermediates to enhance lithium–sulfur (and lithium–air) battery performance.

New online! Breaking insulating barriers in solid-phase conversion reactions with dual-atom catalysts for high-energy lithium batteries

Atroposelective organocatalytic nucleophilic aromatic substitution for C–O bond construction Nature Catalysis, Published online: 13 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01522-xCatalytic access to axially chiral diaryl ethers remains limited by the difficulty of enantioselective C–O bond formation. Now peptide-mimic phosphonium salts enable atroposelective nucleophilic aromatic substitution-driven C–O bond construction, affording axially enantioenriched diaryl ethers.

New online! Atroposelective organocatalytic nucleophilic aromatic substitution for C–O bond construction

Peaks and pitfalls of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction descriptor models Nature Catalysis, Published online: 13 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01526-7Descriptors have been used to predict product selectivity in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction on metals. This Analysis confirms that CO adsorption energy is suitable for predicting CO, but the work function is also needed to predict HCOO− and H2 selectivity. By contrast, the mechanism for C–C coupled products is too complex to predict using these simple descriptors.

New online! Peaks and pitfalls of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction descriptor models

Iron-based single-atom catalysts for selective ammoxidation of C(sp3)–H bonds and oxidative C–C cleavage reactions Nature Catalysis, Published online: 08 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01513-yCatalytic ammoxidation of methylarenes to nitriles is industrially relevant, yet current systems rely on noble metals or harsh conditions. Now an Fe-based single-atom catalyst in B,N-doped carbon enables selective C(sp³)–H ammoxidation and C–C cleavage using molecular oxygen and ammonia.

New online! Iron-based single-atom catalysts for selective ammoxidation of C(sp3)–H bonds and oxidative C–C cleavage reactions

Systematically exploring yeast metabolism through retrobiosynthesis and deep learning Nature Catalysis, Published online: 06 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01523-wCellular underground metabolism plays crucial roles in enzyme promiscuity, metabolism and biological evolution, but it has hardly been investigated. Here the authors combine retrobiosynthesis with deep learning enzyme annotation and enzyme–substrate prediction methods to explore it, reconstructing the yeast metabolic twin model, Yeast-MetaTwin.

New online! Systematically exploring yeast metabolism through retrobiosynthesis and deep learning

Favourable hydrogenation of pyridines via H2-adsorption modulation on Ni nanoparticles in dealuminated Beta zeolite Nature Catalysis, Published online: 06 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01521-yPyridine hydrogenation on supported metal particles is a powerful yet challenging synthetic transformation due to the strong coordinating effect of pyridine that limits hydrogen adsorption and activation. Here the authors adopt dealuminated Beta zeolite to entrap nickel nanoparticles and use the porosity of the support to effectively modulate pyridine and hydrogen activation.

New online! Favourable hydrogenation of pyridines via H2-adsorption modulation on Ni nanoparticles in dealuminated Beta zeolite

New online! A high-flux membrane electrode assembly for CO2 electroreduction to 4.5 M formate with over 8,000 h stability

Enantioselective C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond formation by synergistic thiamine-dependent radical biocatalysis and photoredox catalysis Nature Catalysis, Published online: 02 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01515-wRadical C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond formation with stereocontrol is challenging. Now, photoredox catalysis and repurposed thiamine-dependent enzymes are combined to couple cinnamyl aldehydes with benzylic radicals, yielding enantioenriched carboxylic acids bearing one or even two stereocentres.

New online! Enantioselective C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond formation by synergistic thiamine-dependent radical biocatalysis and photoredox catalysis

New online! Dynamics of a Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst revealed by operando transmission electron microscopy during CO2 hydrogenation

And yet it catalyses Nature Catalysis, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01518-7And yet it catalyses

New online! And yet it catalyses

Catalysis shines on arsenic minerals Nature Catalysis, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01516-9Catalysis shines on arsenic minerals

New online! Catalysis shines on arsenic minerals

Overlapping fields Nature Catalysis, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01519-6Overlapping fields

New online! Overlapping fields

Diastereocontrolling macrocylization Nature Catalysis, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01517-8Diastereocontrolling macrocylization

New online! Diastereocontrolling macrocylization

Reality check on propane dehydrogenation Nature Catalysis, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01510-1Industrial propane dehydrogenation typically requires hazardous or costly catalysts based on Pt or Cr. Now, cobalt silicalite-1 zeolites emerge as potential substitutes in terms of stability on-stream and in regeneration, as well as intrinsic high activity.

New online! Reality check on propane dehydrogenation

The return of the nickel(I) isocyanide Nature Catalysis, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01492-0It is difficult to isolate and control the reactivity of nickel(I) complexes, despite their potential interest for cross-coupling reactions. Now, Mirica and colleagues report thermally robust bimetallic Ni(I) catalysts supported by isocyanide ligands that show high catalytic efficacy and selectivity in cross-coupling reactions, addressing a long-standing gap in Ni(I) chemistry.

New online! The return of the nickel(I) isocyanide

Nickel-driven sulfonamide biosynthesis Nature Catalysis, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01511-0Metalloenzymes serve as staple biocatalysts for a broad range of reactions, offering exquisite selectivity and wide-ranging applicability when paired with versatile metals such as nickel. The mechanism behind sulfonamide formation catalysed by a recently discovered Ni-dependent enzyme has now been revealed, opening tractable avenues to biocatalyst-mediated expansion of the sulfonamide chemical space.

New online! Nickel-driven sulfonamide biosynthesis

A new era in operando Nature Catalysis, Published online: 27 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01509-8The 2025 Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting highlighted the latest developments at the frontiers of materials research. This report focuses on multimodal operando/in situ methods employed to probe dynamic evolution of catalysts under far-from-equilibrium operating conditions — a key challenge in advancing catalyst development.

New online! A new era in operando

Gating the nitrogenase cofactor Nature Catalysis, Published online: 26 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01498-8Biological nitrogen fixation is vital for sustainable agriculture, yet nitrogenase engineering is hindered by limited insight into their essential metallocluster cofactor assembly and transfer. Here, by capturing the nitrogenase biosynthetic component NifEN in multiple structural states, a tunnel-and-switch mechanism that coordinates receipt, maturation and delivery of the FeMo-cofactor precursor is revealed.

New online! Gating the nitrogenase cofactor

Exploring the landscape of methanol-to-hydrocarbons conversion catalysts Nature Catalysis, Published online: 23 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01506-xDespite the industrial success of the methanol-to-hydrocarbons (MTH) process, the interplay of selectivity, stability and coking are not fully understood. This Analysis provides a comprehensive quantitative assessment of zeolite/zeotype catalysts for MTH over the past three decades, focusing on selectivity–stability profiles.

New online! Exploring the landscape of methanol-to-hydrocarbons conversion catalysts

Strain boosts propanol electrosynthesis from CO on copper Nature Catalysis, Published online: 16 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01501-2Electroreduction of CO on copper is notable for enabling C–C coupling, but a fundamental understanding of what drives product selectivity is lacking. Here a series of well-defined copper nanocrystals with tunable shape and size are used to control product selectivity, with strain identified as a major factor in n-propanol formation.

New online! Strain boosts propanol electrosynthesis from CO on copper

Photo-enhanced spillover hydrogenation over semiconductor-supported Pd nanocatalysts Nature Catalysis, Published online: 09 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01507-wSeparating the sites where hydrogen activation and addition steps occur can enhance chemoselectivity for hydrogenation reactions on supported metal nanoparticles, but it is challenging. Here the authors report how light irradiation can achieve this for Pd nanoparticles supported on semiconductors such as SrTiO3 during the semihydrogenation of phenylacetylenes.

New online! Photo-enhanced spillover hydrogenation over semiconductor-supported Pd nanocatalysts

Enantioselective difluoromethylation of unactivated alkyl halides via a formal nickel(II/IV) cycle Nature Catalysis, Published online: 09 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01505-yExisting nickel-catalysed enantioconvergent cross-coupling methods largely rely on Ni(I)/Ni(III) manifolds. Now, a mechanistically distinct platform involving a Ni(II)/Ni(IV) redox cycle enables highly enantioselective difluoromethylation of unactivated alkyl iodides.

New online! Enantioselective difluoromethylation of unactivated alkyl halides via a formal nickel(II/IV) cycle

Electrochemical imaging of thermochemical catalysis Nature Catalysis, Published online: 05 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01486-ySeveral thermochemical redox reactions have been shown to operate via the coupling of electrochemical half-reactions. Here, scanning electrochemical cell microscopy is employed to image the variations in catalytic rate at different grains of polycrystalline platinum during aerobic formic acid oxidation.

New online! Electrochemical imaging of thermochemical catalysis

Structural insights into metallocluster trafficking in the nitrogenase assembly scaffold NifEN Nature Catalysis, Published online: 03 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01489-9Structural insights into the assembly of the complex nitrogenase cofactor are scarce. Now, cryo-EM and AlphaFold analyses of NifEN, which converts the precursor (L-cluster) to a mature cofactor (M-cluster), are reported, uncovering a dynamic tunnel for L-cluster trafficking between assembly partners.

New online! Structural insights into metallocluster trafficking in the nitrogenase assembly scaffold NifEN

Quantum-sensing-enabled in situ imaging of free radicals in chemical reactions Nature Catalysis, Published online: 27 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01499-7Operando imaging of chemical reactions typically requires the inclusion of an extrinsic handle such as a fluorescent probe. Here quantum-sensing-enabled chemical operando microscopy is developed to intrinsically image the photocatalytic generation of free radicals on TiO2.

New online! Quantum-sensing-enabled in situ imaging of free radicals in chemical reactions

Degradation through filaments Nature Catalysis, Published online: 26 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01504-zDegradation through filaments

New online! Degradation through filaments

Mimicking enzymes Nature Catalysis, Published online: 26 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01502-1Mimicking enzymes

New online! Mimicking enzymes

A holistic view of PEC Nature Catalysis, Published online: 26 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01503-0A holistic view of PEC

New online! A holistic view of PEC

Lanthanides save non-noble catalysts in acid Nature Catalysis, Published online: 26 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01490-2Acidic water electrolysis rapidly degrades most Earth-abundant catalysts through water-driven dissolution. A study now demonstrates that weakening interfacial hydrogen bonding by introducing lanthanide elements to cobalt oxide can dramatically enhance its stability without compromising activity, enabling exceptional durability in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis without reliance on noble metals.

New online! Lanthanides save non-noble catalysts in acid