Catalysts are unique because they are not consumed in the reaction; they simply facilitate the process and are regenerated at the end. This is because catalysts participate in intermediate steps of the reaction, forming temporary complexes with reactants. Once the reaction is complete, the catalyst is released unchanged and can be used again. This feature makes catalysis both efficient and cost-effective, as a small amount of catalyst can facilitate the transformation of large quantities of reactants. Heterogeneous catalysts, for instance, are often used in fixed-bed reactors where they remain in place and can be reused for multiple reaction cycles.
