The Institute of Catalysis (IC) of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) was established on 01.04.1983, based on the Laboratory “Kinetics and Catalysis”, which began its activities as early as 1963, and at present it is a leading center for catalytic science in the country and Southeastern Europe. The institute numbers altogether 62 employees, including 7 professors, 17 associated professors, 19 assistant professors. The structure of IC comprises 3 laboratories and a total of 14 research groups inside the laboratories. The Scientific Council of IC consists of 17 scientists. Тhe institute has the rights to train Ph.D. students in the specialties: chemical kinetics and catalysis; chemistry of the solid state and petroleum chemistry and synthesis.

IC is founder, organizer and seat of the Bulgarian Catalysis Club (BCC), established in 1992.

IC and BCC are collective members of the European Federation of Catalytic Societies (EFCATS) and of the world-wide International Association of the Catalytic Societies (IACS).

The high prestige of IC and BCC was reconfirmed by EFCATS upon assigning the task to organize the VII European Congress on Catalysis in Bulgaria in 2005. IC is world-wide known as organizer of the traditional International Symposia on Heterogeneous Catalysis at regular 4-year intervals. In 2008 the jubilee X International Symposium on Heterogeneous Catalysis was organized with great success. The annual conferences, organized by the IC and BCC, the methodological workshops for catalysis, the international meetings for Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) of disordered systems are well known in the country and abroad. IC organizes also workshops of NATO and UNIDO contract teams. The institute is also an active member of the Balkan Environmental Association (B.EN.A).

Activities of the institute:

• Theory and practice of catalysis; 
• Elaboration of new catalysts; 
• Development of new catalytic processes; 
• Investigation of the kinetics and mechanism of catalytic processes; 
• Creation of models of catalytic processes and elementary acts; 
• Research and development of technologies for catalyst manufactures; 
• Coordination of the research activities in the field of catalysis in Bulgaria;

During the period 1999−2006, the activities of the institute were synchronized with the research priorities of the European Union:

• New catalytic materials and nanosized catalysts; 
• Catalytic processes for clean energy production and for environmental protection; 
• Molecular catalysis and EPR spectroscopy; 
• Heterogeneous catalysis; 
• Catalytic nanomaterials; 
• Selection of catalysts – theory and practice; 
• Physical chemistry of the surfaces; 
• Mechanisms of catalytic reactions; 
• Kinetics of catalytic reactions; 
• Quantum chemistry in catalysis; 
• Deactivation of catalysts; 
• Catalysis for environmental protection; 
• Photocatalysis; 
• Catalytic nanomaterials for the fine organic chemicals; 
• Catalysis in the petroleum chemistry; 
• Catalysis in nitrogen fertilizers industry; 
• Industrial catalysts and adsorbents; 
• Homogeneous catalysts; 
• Characterization of catalysts; 
• Chemical stabilization; 
• Chemistry of ozone reactions; 
• Tribochemical activation.

The institute has at its disposal XPS, XRD, EPR, NMR, Moessbauer, FTIR, UV-visible spectroscopy, kinetic apparatuses for measurements under steady-state and non-steady-state conditions, automated laboratory reactor for the synthesis of catalysts, differential scanning calorimeters, apparatus for temperature programmed reduction, desorption and oxidation, gas chromatographs, apparatus for adsorption measurements, ozone titration device, computer work station and computer network, connected to the Internet.

During the last 5 years researchers from IC have published more than 400 scientific research papers and 5 monographs. The institute maintains the following scientific series: Proceedings of the international symposium on heterogeneous catalysis and Proceedings of the international workshops on electron paramagnetic resonance of disordered systems.

Master students and PhD students from the country and abroad are being trained at IC. The IC team is fulfilling projects sponsored by Framework Programs of the European Union. A large number of research projects are sponsored by the National Science Fund, by the NATO “Science for Peace” Program Office and NATO Collaborative Linkage Grants, by UNIDO, UNESCO and other national and international institutions. The IC enjoys a high rating in Europe and it succeeded in establishing research contacts with similar institutions in the European Union and other research organizations beyond the European Union.