Abstract:Nanoporous metal catalysts (NPCs) demonstrate remarkable advantages in the field of catalytic hydrogenation due to their high specific surface area, tunable pore structures, and confinement effects. This review elaborates on NPCs represented by Raney nickel, focusing on the preparation principles involving the construction of three-dimensional porous structures by chemical dealloying. It provides in-depth discussions on the key factors influencing catalytic performance from four perspectives: crystal structure, residual aluminum, pore characteristics, and dopants. Furthermore, the applications of these catalysts in the hydrogenation of unsaturated bonds, transformation of nitro/cyano-compounds, and upgrading of biomass platform molecules were reviewed, highlighting the essential role of the porous structure in providing high surface area, optimizing substance transfer pathways, and modulating reaction selectivity.