On the Tracks to “Smart” Single-Atom Catalysts

, 49-57. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2023.02.003]. Most recent studies have attempted to clarify several of the key aspects that are in play during SAC catalysis. However, one largely overlooked opportunity is to take advantage of all the dynamic phenomena occurring at the single metal site to turn the conventional catalytic sequences into a smart, stimulus-responsive, and controllable evolution of the single atom under operative conditions. Such "smartness" could potentially unleash pathways that mitigate some of the typical drawbacks of SACs, such as selectivity and stability. Here we present our vision on these yet-unexplored opportunities for exploiting the dynamicity of SACs, and we discuss various examples that could be the cornerstones for the advent of a next generation of SACs, that we term here "smart" single-atom catalysts (SSACs). Despite smart-behaving SACs still being far from realization, the clues provided here suggest pathways to achieve this goal.