Bridging homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis by heterogeneous single-metal-site catalysts

In heterogeneous single-metal-site catalysts (HSMSCs) the active metal centres are located individually on a support and are stabilized by neighbouring surface atoms such as nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur. Modern characterization techniques allow the identification of these individual metal atoms on a given support, and the resulting materials are often referred as single-atom catalysts. Their electronic properties and catalytic activity are tuned by the interaction between the central metal and the neighbouring surface atoms, and their atomically dispersed nature allows for metal utilization of up to 100%. In this way, HSMSCs provide new opportunities for catalysis, and with respect to structure build a bridge between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Herein, selected publications from 2010 in this area are reviewed and their perspectives for the near future are highlighted. Where appropriate, comparisons between HSMSCs and homogeneous/heterogeneous counterparts are presented. Single-atom catalysts have drawn increasing attention as methods for their preparation and characterization improve. Here, Beller and co-workers discuss the latest developments in the field of single-metal-site catalysts, discussing how this catalyst class bridges heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis, and providing a perspective on how the field might continue to develop.