Research progress of high-entropy catalysts in electrochemical oxidation of organic small molecules

Electrochemically driven oxidation reactions of small organic molecules (SOMs) hold immense promise for clean energy conversion and for the synthesis of high-value-added chemicals. However, their widespread commercialization is hindered by sluggish reaction kinetics and the heavy reliance on scarce noble metal catalysts (e.g., Pt, Ru), which drive up costs. High-entropy materials (HEMs) have emerged as competitive alternatives owing to their unique "cocktail effect," high configurational entropy, robust structural stability, and tunable electronic properties. These characteristics open new avenues for developing efficient, stable, and cost-effective catalytic materials. This review systematically summarizes the latest advances in high-entropy catalysts for SOM electrooxidation, including methanol, ethanol, urea, hydrazine, and ethylene glycol. It focuses on strategies for component design, and analyzes how synergistic effects among components regulate electronic structures, thereby influencing the adsorption behavior of reaction intermediates, reaction pathway selection, and overall catalytic performance. Additionally, the structural evolution of HEMs under complex electrochemical environments and strategies for enhancing stability are discussed in detail. In addressing current challenges, such as controllable synthesis, precise identification of active sites, mechanistic understanding, and long-term stability under practical operating conditions, this review offers forward-looking perspectives on future directions, including multi-scale computation/AI-driven design, advanced in situ characterization, and scalable industrial preparation.