Abstract: An organically complexed nanocatalyst composition is applied to or mixed with coal prior to or upon introducing the coal into a coal burner in order to catalyze the removal of coal nitrogen from the coal and its conversion into nitrogen gas prior to combustion of the coal. This leads to reduced NOx production during coal combustion. The nanocatalyst compositions include a nanoparticle catalyst that is made using a dispersing agent. The dispersing agent includes at least one functional group such as a hydroxyl, a carboxyl, a carbonyl, an amine, an amide, a nitrile, a nitrogen having a free lone pair of electrons, an amino acid, a thiol, a sulfonic acid, a sulfonyl halide, and an. acyl halide. The dispersing agent forms stable, dispersed, nano-sized catalyst particles. The catalyst composition can be formed as a stable suspension to facilitate storage, transportation and application of the catalyst nanoparticles to a coal material.