There is currently considerable interest in the use of CO2 as a chemical feedstock. In this article, the requirements for the effective use of CO2 as part of a carbon capture and utilization process to enhance the financial viability of carbon capture and storage are discussed. These are then illustrated with work done on the development of catalysts for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO2 in flue-gas at one bar pressure and 20-100oC in both batch and gas-phase flow reactors.

Systems in which one catalyst can activate more than one mechanistically distinct step in a reaction process, multifaceted catalysis (MFC), are an increasingly important method in organic synthesis. A MFC approach allows for the conversion of simple starting materials to added-value compounds, whilst potentially limiting the overall costs in terms of time, expense and waste. This review highlights the utility of a MFC approach by focusing on recent gold multifaceted catalysis (gold-MFC) methods for the synthesis of heterocycles.

Lipases have a wide industrial impact in the food, pharma and cosmetic sectors but there is an enormous catalytic potential waiting to be exploited for biomass transformations. In order to make biotransformations competitive for such bulk production, efficient biocatalysts at affordable costs are needed. Nowadays, the scientific knowledge on lipases structural and functional properties are so advanced that tailored solutions can be provided for formulating and immobilising lipases for specific applications. This objective can be achieved also with the contribution of computational and statistical methods that are able to manage the amazing complexity of the systems under study. However, this knowledge will translate into new and more efficient industrial biocatalysts only if firms have easier access to a wider array of fermented lipases, which must be also amenable to be immobilised under reproducible conditions. These biocatalysts will help to fill the gap between highly optimised “classical” chemical processes and innovative biotransformations.

The concept and evolutionary development of a generic protocol to give a fit-for-purpose and/or proof of transformation for a common transition metal catalysed reaction is discussed. The case for such protocols as the basis for further development and optimisation of these challenging reactions is presented. The use of advanced statistical techniques (DoE/PCA) to ensure the efficient planning of experimental designs and the effective interpretation of experimental results is outlined. The benefits of a custom-designed laboratory to support research and development in the field of metal catalysis are also highlighted. This combined approach can provide significant benefit for similar transition metal catalysed reactions, and indeed many other reactions.

Gold-catalysed cross coupling chemistry is an active field of research that has led to some controversy. Although several cross coupling reactions based on gold have been developed, reactions proceeding under homogeneous conditions via the oxidative addition of Csp2-X electrophiles to gold(I) are still unknown.

Dispersed Nb2O5 phases in silica matrices were synthesized by different routes: co-precipitation and sol-gel to prepare mixed oxide samples, and wet-impregnation to prepare supported oxide samples. All the Nb2O5-containing catalysts were studied for their main surface and bulk properties and tested in the dehydration reaction of fructose (FRU) to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF) in water at 100°C. The typical water-tolerant acidity of Nb2O5 was maintained in all the samples. By dispersing different amounts of Nb2O5 into silica, the surface acidity of the samples was modified, in particular the surface acid strength. The Nb2O5-contained samples were active in the FRU dehydration reaction to HMF without the deactivation effects which are observed over bulk niobia catalysts.

Various TiO2 have been synthesized by hydrolysis of a TiOSO4 precursor changing the precipitation agent (NaOH and NH4OH), the pH of aging (acid, neutral or basic) and the temperature of calcination. Characterization by X-ray diffraction, N2 physisorption, ionic chromatography and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) has been carried out in order to investigate the structural, physical, and chemical properties of the titanium oxide and their correlation with the catalytic activity. The catalytic behaviour of the investigated systems was tested in the photocatalytic abatement of NOx in gas phase both in the UV and visible region, using a lab made reactor equipped with a chemiluminescence analyzer. A close correlation between photoactivity and physical properties has been found. The samples characterized by high surface area (>100m2/g) and the presence of anatase as the only TiO2 polymorph exhibit the best performances. Moreover, a significant increase of the catalytic activity has been obtained for materials synthesized in acid condition and calcined at lower temperature. The differences in the activity will be discussed in relationship with the textural properties of the various samples.

Two sets of catalysts (VOx-SiO2 and VOx-Al2O3) were prepared by flame pyrolysis (FP) and tested for the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of propane. Better vanadium dispersion and superior catalytic performances (in terms of propene selectivity) were achieved with FP-samples compared to catalysts obtained by impregnation. Similarly, two V-containing mesoporous catalysts (V-SBA-15 and V-MCF) were directly synthesized to obtain highly dispersed V species in the silica. The latter catalysts performed better in both ODH of propane and dichloromethane decomposition compared to impregnated ones. In addition, better results in the ODH of propane were obtained with V-MCF, while higher activity in dichloromethane decomposition was achieved with V-SBA-15. These findings seem to be related to the different porous network of the two catalysts.