Catalysis at Room Temperature: Perspectives for Future Green Chemical Processes

The development of room temperature catalytic protocols recently emerged as a promising alternative to minimize energy consumption in catalytic reactions, at the same time, obtaining high product yields and/or better atom economies (lowering byproduct generation). This chapter discusses the catalytic performances achieved in various chemical reactions by different metals and their effects to surface morphologies (metal nanoparticles, grafting metal complexes, etc.). Digging a 'greener' chemical process particularly discovering new kinds of catalysts is a right track for our sustainable environment. Room temperature catalysis is critically important for the organic chemists as well as environmentalists. The summarizes several existing room temperature catalysts, including homogeneous and heterogeneous systems concentrating on precious metals (gold, palladium, and ruthenium) and also transition metals (iron), accordingly. Although the room temperature catalysis is still at an early stage, it will be a new chapter to the catalysis science in the 21st century.