Condensed Matter Chemistry in Catalytic Conversion of Small Molecules

Catalysis has played an important role in the modern chemical industry. The processes of oil refining, petrochemical industry, fine chemical industry, pharmaceutical industry, and environmental protection strongly rely on catalysts. The catalytic transformation of small molecules is a key technology that provides solutions for energy and environmental problems, which has become one of the most important and hot topics in the international community. In this article, we summarize the progress of condensed matter chemistry and focus on the catalytic conversion of small molecules. The dehydrogenation of alkanes, hydrogenation of organic small molecules, efficient hydrogen production, and syngas conversion are summarized and discussed. The changes in the chemical properties of the condensed state caused by the metal-support interactions have been emphasized. We hope this review is helpful for the study of the structure-performance relationship between the multi-level structure of condensed matter and their catalytic properties, guiding the design of efficient catalysts in the future.