The electrochemical synthesis of ammonia via the lithium-mediated reduction of N₂ holds great promise to replace the carbon- and energy-intensive Haber–Bosch process. This Review discusses this approach and examines the critical role of the catalytic solid–electrolyte interphase formed on the electrode.

The use of data science tools in catalysis research has experienced a surge in the past 10–15 years. This Review provides a holistic overview and categorization of the field across the various approaches and subdisciplines in catalysis.

Material–microbe hybrids represent an interesting class of catalyst with potential for high energy efficiency and product selectivity. In this Perspective the authors discuss some of the difficulties in understanding these interdisciplinary systems and the attempts to unify the approaches taken by different research communities to further the field.

Atropisomerism is an expanding target of asymmetric catalysis. In this Review, recent advances in atroposelective synthesis under catalytic control are highlighted with a focus on general strategies that provide high versatility and modularity.

Decarboxylative azidation is a valuable transformation in organic chemistry, but a biocatalytic equivalent remained elusive. Now merging photoredox with metalloenzymatic catalysis enables the enantioselective decarboxylative radical azidation and thiocyanation of N-hydroxyphthalimide esters.

Alkali cations in electrolytes are commonly considered chemically inert species, but their role has recently been called into question. Now, using in situ spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, it is shown that alkali cations couple with intermediates in the oxygen reduction reaction, acting as cocatalysts.

The catalytic mechanism of [Fe]-hydrogenases is not well understood. Now a signal-enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance method based on parahydrogen is introduced to study [Fe]-hydrogenase under turnover conditions in situ, revealing intermediates of the catalytic cycle.

Compatibility issues often limit chemoenzymatic systems. Now it is shown that the proximity between catalytic polymers grafted from the membrane of microorganisms and intracellular heterologous enzymes enhances the reaction rates of a photoenzymatic system, while the coating increases the stability.

The development of catalytic systems for sequestering anthropogenic methane emissions from the atmosphere could potentially reduce global warming. Now, coupling the enzyme alcohol oxidase with an inorganic zeolite generates formaldehyde from methane under ambient conditions with 90% selectivity.

Despite the importance of difluoromethyl (CF₂H)-bearing centres for pharmaceuticals, there is currently no general strategy for the stereoselective introduction of a CF₂H group at chiral centres. Here the authors describe an enantioconvergent difluoromethylation method for racemic alkyl halides to construct such stereocentres.

In the quest for more efficient and sustainable asymmetric catalytic methods, synthetic organic chemistry has relentlessly explored innovative techniques. This Comment highlights an emerging topic — photoelectrochemical asymmetric catalysis (PEAC) — which fuses molecular photoelectrocatalysis with asymmetric catalysis.

Biocatalysis needs improved reproducibility and quality of research reporting. Our interdisciplinary team has developed a flexible and extensible metadata catalogue based on STRENDA guidelines, essential for describing complex experimental setups in biocatalysis. The catalogue is available online via GitHub for community use.