Molecules interact with catalysts in various ways to facilitate the reaction. In homogeneous catalysis, the catalyst and the reactants are in the same phase, typically a liquid. Here, the catalyst molecules interact directly with the reactant molecules through mechanisms such as coordination, bond formation, and electron transfer. In heterogeneous catalysis, the catalyst is in a different phase, usually a solid, and the reactants adsorb onto the catalyst’s surface where the reaction occurs.
