Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks derived Fe1-N-C catalysts with isolated single iron atoms have been synthesized and applied for selective ammoxidation reactions. For the preparation of the different Fe-based materials, benzylamine as an additive proved to be essential to tune the morphology and size of ZIFs resulting in uniform and smaller particles, which allow stable atomically dispersed Fe–N4 active sites. The optimal catalyst Fe1-N-C achieves an efficient synthesis of various aryl, heterocyclic, allylic, and aliphatic nitriles from alcohols in water under very mild conditions. With its chemoselectivity, recyclability, high efficiency under mild conditions this new system complements the toolbox of catalysts for nitrile synthesis, which are important intermediates with many applications in life sciences and industry.

A cobalt catalyst derived from a unique core–shell structure based on hollow ZIF-8 and ZIF-67 is prepared for the synthesis of nitriles from alcohols in water under mild conditions.

N‐Heterocycles, such as pyrroles, pyrimidines, quinazolines, and quinoxalines, are important building blocks for organic chemistry and the fine‐chemical industry. For their synthesis, catalytic borrowing hydrogen and acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling reactions of alcohols as sustainable reagents have received significant attention in recent years. To overcome the problems of product separation and catalyst reusability, several metal‐based heterogeneous catalysts have been reported to achieve these transformations with good yields and selectivity. In this Minireview, we summarize recent developments using both noble and non‐noble metal‐based heterogeneous catalysts to synthesize N‐heterocycles from alcohols and N‐nucleophiles via acceptorless dehydrogenation or borrowing hydrogen methodologies. Furthermore, this Minireview introduces strategies for the preparation and functionalization of the corresponding heterogeneous catalysts, discusses the reaction mechanisms and the roles of metal electronic states, and the influence of support Lewis acid–base properties on these reactions.