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How do acids and bases act as catalysts in chemical reactions?

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sodium sulfate — acid–base reaction Sodium sulfate, also called Glauber's salt, is, like other salts, the product of an acid-base reaction.

Acids and bases act as catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions without being consumed in the process. Rather than exerting a mysterious influence, they function through an actual acid–base reaction between the catalyst and the substrate, with the catalyst being regenerated in a later stage.12

The mechanism generally involves the Brønsted-Lowry concept of proton transfer, where an acidic catalyst transfers a proton to the reactant, or a basic catalyst accepts one from it. Under the Lewis theory, the process entails the sharing of an electron pair donated by a base or accepted by an acid.1

This interaction makes the substrate unstable—causing it to decompose or rearrange—or renders it reactive toward other species in the system. Even a small amount of initial acid–base reaction can trigger these changes, even if the substrate itself lacks significant acid–base properties. These processes are vital in nature, laboratory settings, and industrial applications, such as petroleum cracking and polyurethane manufacturing.21