Various embodiments disclosed relate to bridged phthalocyanine- and napththalocyanine-metal complex catalysts and methods using the same for oxidation reactions. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method of oxidation including contacting an oxidizable starting material including an alkene with a catalyst and an oxidant, to provide an oxidized product.

The electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO.sub.2RR) provides opportunities to synthesize value-added products from this greenhouse gas in a sustainable manner. Efficient catalysts for this reaction are provided that selectively drive CO.sub.2 reduction over the thermodynamic and kinetically competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in organic or aqueous electrolytes. The catalysts are metal-polypyridyl coordination complexes of a redox non-innocent terpyridine-based pentapyridine ligand and a first-row transition metal. The metal-ligand cooperativity in [Fe(tpyPY2Me)].sup.2+ drives the electrochemical reduction of CO.sub.2 to CO at low overpotentials with high selectivity for CO.sub.2RR (>90%).

A homogeneous catalyst is provided comprising one or more metals; and at least two metal coordinating ligands wherein the homogeneous catalyst is a multi-ligand metal complex adapted for use with an oxidant in an oxidation reaction to catalytically pretreat lignocellulosic biomass. In one embodiment, the homogenous catalyst is copper (II) 2, 2′ bipyridine ethylenediamine (Cu(bpy)en). Related methods are also disclosed.

The present disclosure provides a quantum-dot ligand, a quantum-dot catalyst and a quantum-dot device. The quantum-dot ligand includes: a first ligand having a first group and a second group and a second ligand having an inorganic ion, in which a coordination bond is formed between the first group and a surface of a quantum dot, a hydrogen bond is formed between the second group and a hydroxyl group; and a coordination bond is formed between the inorganic ion and the surface of the quantum dot. The quantum-dot catalyst of the present disclosure can enhance a catalytic activity of the quantum dots and improve the catalytic performance.

The present application provides a mononuclear transition metal complex, a photocatalyst for carbon dioxide reduction including same, and a method for reducing carbon dioxide to formic acid, the method comprising using the photocatalyst for carbon dioxide reduction.

The present invention provides a compound comprising a moiety of the formula: (I) where said moiety of formula I is a radical, a cation, or a radical dication; Y.sup.1, Y.sup.2, Y.sup.3, R.sup.1a, R.sup.1b, R.sup.1c, R.sup.1d, R.sup.2a, R.sup.2b, R.sup.2c, R.sup.2d, R.sup.3a, R.sup.3b, R.sup.3c, and R.sup.3d are as defined herein. Compounds containing a moiety of Formula I are useful in a wide variety of applications including, but not limited to, as photocatalysts, use in OLEDs, in electronic components, etc. As an organic-based photocatalysts, compounds containing a moiety of Formula I are activated by a relatively low energy electromagnetic wavelength, e.g., wavelength of 600 nm or greater. Furthermore, compounds of the invention can be used as both photoreduction catalysts and photooxidation catalysts.

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The invention describes single-site metal catalysts such as Pt single-site centers on powdered oxide supports with a 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (PDO) or bis-pyrimidyltetrazine (BMTZ) ligand on powdered MgO, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, or CeO.sub.2.

A method of producing a catalytic carbon fiber may include: oxidizing a virgin carbon fiber to produce an oxidized carbon fiber; reacting the oxidized carbon fiber with a polyamine compound to produce an amine modified carbon fiber; and reacting the amine modified carbon fiber with an organometallic macrocycle to produce the catalytic carbon fiber.

The present disclosure relates to aerogels based on transition metal complexes, preparation thereof and there use as highly active atomically dispersed oxygen-reduction catalyst with ultra-high catalytic site density and metal content.

A method of making an M-N—C catalyst is disclosed. The method includes the steps of (a) contacting an N-doped carbon support with a basic solution that includes a metal salt, whereby the N-doped carbon support is metalated by the metal cation of the metal salt to form one or more chelated metal-nitrogen complexes (MN.sub.x species); and (b) subsequently contacting the metalated N-doped carbon support with an acid, whereby the one or more MN.sub.x species formed on the N-doped carbon support in step (a) remain intact while other species are removed. The resulting composition may be catalytically activated by heat treating the composition. The activated catalyst may be used to catalyze a wide range of chemical reactions.