The synthesis of aromatic amines from nitroarenes through hydrogenation is an industrially and academically important reaction. In addition, the employment of base metal catalysts in reactions that are preferentially mediated by rare noble metals is a desirable aim in catalysis and an attractive element‐conservation strategy. Especially appealing is the observation of novel selectivity patterns with such inexpensive metal catalysts. Herein, we report a novel mesostructured Ni nanocomposite catalyst. It is the first example of a reusable Ni catalyst that is able to hydrogenate nitroarenes selectively to anilines in the presence of highly sensitive functional groups such as C=C bonds and nitrile, aldehyde, and iodo substituents.

Porous coordination polymers (PCP) or metal- organic frameworks (MOF) are promising materials for the generation of photocatalytically active composite materials. Here, a novel synthesis concept is reported, which permits the formation of PCP/MOF-core-Au/anatase-shell materials. These materials are photocatalysts for wastewater purification and hydrogen generation from water under visible-light illumination. MIL-101 (Cr) is utilized as the core material, which directs the size of the core-shell compound and ensures the overall stability. In addition, its excellent reversible large molecule sorption behavior allows the materials synthesis. The crystalline anatase shell is generated stepwise under mild conditions using titanium(IV) isopropoxide as a precursor. The high degree of control of the vapor phase deposition process permits the precise anatase shell formation. The generation of plasmonic active gold particles on the TiO shell leads to an efficient material for visible-light-driven photocatalysis with a higher activity than gold-decorated P25 (Degussa).

The synthesis of important classes of chemical compounds from alcohols helps to conserve Earth’s fossil carbon resources, since alcohols can be obtained from indigestible and abundantly available biomass. The utilisation of visible light for the activation of alcohols permits alcohol-based C–N and C–C bond formation under mild conditions inaccessible with thermally operating hydrogen liberation catalysts. Herein, we report on a noble metal-free photocatalyst able to split alcohols into hydrogen and carbonyl compounds under inert gas atmosphere without the requirement of electron donors, additives, or aqueous reaction media. The reusable photocatalyst mediates C–N multiple bond formation using the oxidation of alcohols and subsequent coupling with amines. The photocatalyst consists of a CdS/TiO2 heterojunction decorated with co-catalytic Ni nanoparticles and is prepared on size-optimised colloidal metal–organic framework (MOF) crystallites.

Porous coordination polymers or metal–organic frameworks have been proposed as promising catalyst materials since their discovery. A fundamental problem associated with MOF‐based catalysts is the stability during their catalytic performance, especially in liquid‐phase catalysis. Herein, we report on the controlled incorporation of nanoscale palladium and titanium dioxide inside MIL‐101 (Cr). The introduction of the metal species was accomplished by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition and can be varied over a large weight‐percentage range. The enhanced catalytic activity and the improved reusability of the resulting Pd/TiO2@MIL‐101 composite materials were demonstrated in hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions. Furthermore, the presence of TiO2 (amorphous) allowed observing an enhanced photocatalytic activity.

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