Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
10:52
Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics
Published on: April 12, 2019
Asymmetric homogeneous hydrogenations at scale.
David J Ager1, André H M de Vries, Johannes G de Vries
1DSM Innovative Synthesis BV, PMB 150, 9650 Strickland Road Suite 103, Raleigh, North Carolina 27615, USA. david.ager@dsm.com
Chemical Society Reviews
|February 10, 2012
Summary
Asymmetric hydrogenation is vital for life sciences, but scaling up presents safety and development challenges. This review addresses potential pitfalls and strategies for successful industrial implementation of catalytic hydrogenation.
Area of Science:
- Chemical Engineering
- Organic Chemistry
- Process Chemistry
Background:
- Asymmetric hydrogenation is crucial for synthesizing stereogenic centers in life sciences.
- Transitioning these reactions from lab to industrial scale poses significant safety and development challenges.
- Short development timelines can hinder the implementation of catalytic hydrogenation processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review potential pitfalls in scaling up asymmetric hydrogenation reactions.
- To highlight safety considerations and strategies for minimizing development time.
- To discuss issues related to impurities and catalyst deactivation in industrial hydrogenation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of asymmetric hydrogenation processes.
- Analysis of safety concerns in large-scale catalytic reactions.
- Examination of impurity profiles and their impact on hydrogenation efficiency.
Main Results:
- Identified key safety hazards associated with industrial hydrogenation.
- Discussed methods to accelerate process development for catalytic steps.
- Highlighted the detrimental effects of impurities on reaction performance and catalyst longevity.
Conclusions:
- Successful industrial implementation of asymmetric hydrogenation requires careful consideration of safety and process robustness.
- Strategies exist to mitigate scale-up challenges and reduce time-to-market.
- Understanding and controlling impurities are critical for reliable hydrogenation processes.
Related Concept Videos
02:17Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
Catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes is a transition-metal catalyzed reduction of the double bond using molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. The mode of hydrogen addition follows syn stereochemistry.
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
02:13Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Alkenes undergo reduction by the addition of molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. Because the process generally occurs in the presence of a transition-metal catalyst, the reaction is called catalytic hydrogenation.
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the surface of...
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the surface of...
01:22Heterogeneous Catalysis
Heterogeneous catalysis involves a catalyst in a different phase from the reactants. It is a process where the catalyst and the reactants are in distinct phases, typically solid and gas or liquid.Most heterogeneous catalysts are metals, metal oxides, or acids. The list includes transition metals like iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu). These metals possess partially vacant d orbitals that...
02:24Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Introduction
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
02:17Regioselectivity of Electrophilic Additions to Alkenes: Markovnikov's Rule
If a set of reactants can yield multiple constitutional isomers, but one of the isomers is obtained as the major product, the reaction is said to be regioselective. In such reactions, bond formation or breaking is favored at one reaction site over others.
The hydrohalogenation of an unsymmetrical alkene can yield two haloalkane products, depending on which vinylic carbon takes up the halogen. However, one product usually predominates, where hydrogen adds to the vinylic carbon bearing the...
The hydrohalogenation of an unsymmetrical alkene can yield two haloalkane products, depending on which vinylic carbon takes up the halogen. However, one product usually predominates, where hydrogen adds to the vinylic carbon bearing the...
02:36Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Hydroboration
A significant aspect of hydroboration–oxidation is the regio- and stereochemical outcome of the reaction.
Hydroboration proceeds in a concerted fashion with the attack of borane on the π bond, giving a cyclic four-centered transition state. The –BH2 group is bonded to the less substituted carbon and –H to the more substituted carbon. The concerted nature requires the simultaneous addition of –H and –BH2 across the same face of the alkene giving syn stereochemistry.
Hydroboration proceeds in a concerted fashion with the attack of borane on the π bond, giving a cyclic four-centered transition state. The –BH2 group is bonded to the less substituted carbon and –H to the more substituted carbon. The concerted nature requires the simultaneous addition of –H and –BH2 across the same face of the alkene giving syn stereochemistry.