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Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation

Reduction 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...

Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Reduction 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...

Heterogeneous Catalysis

Heterogeneous 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...

Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Reduction 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.

Catalysis

Catalysis

The presence of a catalyst affects the rate of a chemical reaction. A catalyst is a substance that can increase the reaction rate without being consumed during the process. A basic comprehension of a catalysts’ role during chemical reactions can be understood from the concept of reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams.

Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Unlike the easy catalytic hydrogenation of an alkene double bond, hydrogenation of a benzene double bond under similar reaction conditions does not take place easily. For example, in the reduction of stilbene, the benzene ring remains unaffected while the alkene bond gets reduced. Hydrogenation of an alkene double bond is exothermic and a favorable process. In contrast, to hydrogenate the first unsaturated bond of benzene, an energy input is needed; that is, the process is endothermic. This is...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production

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Weyl Semimetals as Hydrogen Evolution Catalysts.

Catherine R Rajamathi¹, Uttam Gupta², Nitesh Kumar¹

¹Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, 01187, Dresden, Germany.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)

|March 16, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers discovered that topological Weyl semimetals, like NbP and TaAs, act as highly efficient catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Their unique electronic properties offer a new path for designing advanced catalysts beyond traditional methods.

Keywords:

Weyl semimetals catalysts hydrogen evolution reactions topological materials

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Area of Science:

Catalysis
Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics

Background:

Catalyst design traditionally focuses on optimizing local active sites, such as edge sites in molybdenum disulfides for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
Existing strategies often overlook alternative principles for enhancing catalytic activity.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore a novel principle for catalyst design utilizing topological electronic states.
To demonstrate the potential of topological Weyl semimetals as highly efficient HER catalysts.

Main Methods:

Investigated transition-metal monopnictides (NbP, TaP, NbAs, TaAs) identified as topological Weyl semimetals.
Analyzed the relationship between topological surface states, carrier mobility, and catalytic activity for HER.

Main Results:

Topological Weyl semimetals exhibit excellent catalytic activity for HER.
The combination of robust topological surface states and high carrier mobility from bulk Dirac bands is key to high HER activity.
This approach surpasses graphene-based photocatalysts by offering active catalytic sites within the topological material itself.

Conclusions:

Topological electronic states offer a new paradigm for designing highly efficient and low-cost catalysts.
Topological Weyl semimetals represent a promising class of materials for HER catalysis.
This work provides a guiding principle for discovering novel catalysts from topological materials.