Well-Defined Catalytic System for Integrating Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysis

Catalysis is an eternal theme in chemical research because it is indispensable in the chemical industry. Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts possess their individual advantages and disadvantages, which are significantly complementary. Therefore, it is highly desirable to develop an effective and practical method for merging the benefits of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Recently, the application of organic ligands to modify heterogeneous supported catalysts has emerged as an important method to combine the advantages of heterogeneous catalysis with those of homogeneous catalysis. Ligands modified supported catalysts offer the potential to overcome major challenges in tunability and stability for supported catalysts. This Viewpoint discusses the recent progress in the synthesis and application of ligand modified supported metal catalysts in organic reactions that merge the advantages of homo- and heterogeneous catalysis. We discuss the preparation and characterization, the origin of enhanced activities, and the structure–activity relationship of ligand modified supported metal catalysts. The challenges and perspectives for future progress in this field will be given. This viewpoint provides important insights into the development of well-defined heterogeneous catalysts for integrating homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis.