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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 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.

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...

Alkenes via Reductive Coupling of Aldehydes or Ketones: McMurry Reaction

Alkenes via Reductive Coupling of Aldehydes or Ketones: McMurry Reaction

The radical dimerization of ketones or aldehydes gives vicinal diols through a pinacol coupling reaction. However, the behavior of titanium metals used for the reaction as a source of electrons is unusual. When the reaction is carried out in the presence of titanium, diols can be isolated at low temperatures. Else titanium further reacts with diols, forming alkenes through the McMurry reaction.

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.

Oxidation of Alkenes: Syn Dihydroxylation with Osmium Tetraoxide

Oxidation of Alkenes: Syn Dihydroxylation with Osmium Tetraoxide

Alkenes are converted to 1,2-diols or glycols through a process called dihydroxylation. It involves the addition of two hydroxyl groups across the double bond with two different stereochemical approaches, namely anti and syn. Dihydroxylation using osmium tetroxide progresses with syn stereochemistry.

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Updated: Jun 20, 2025

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Published on: April 10, 2018

Single-Atom Alloy Formation via Reaction-Driven Catalyst Restructuring.

Georgios Giannakakis¹, Yogita Soni¹, Gregory L Novotny¹

¹Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States.

Journal of the American Chemical Society

|July 22, 2024

Summary

New single-atom alloy catalysts are created using vinyl acetate synthesis conditions. This method yields highly active and selective catalysts for vinyl acetate synthesis and ethanol dehydrogenation, and is scalable.

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Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

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Catalytic Reactions at Amine-Stabilized and Ligand-Free Platinum Nanoparticles Supported on Titania During Hydrogenation of Alkenes and Aldehydes

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

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

Published on: December 6, 2021

Area of Science:

Catalysis
Materials Science
Nanotechnology

Background:

Single-atom alloy (SAA) catalysts offer unique properties for chemical reactions.
Developing scalable methods for SAA catalyst synthesis remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

To demonstrate a novel method for synthesizing single-atom alloy catalysts.
To investigate the catalytic performance of these novel catalysts.

Main Methods:

Exposing physical mixtures of supported copper (Cu) and palladium (Pd) catalysts to vinyl acetate (VA) synthesis conditions.
Inducing metal nanoparticle restructuring and atomic dispersion through reaction conditions.

Main Results:

Successfully formed single-atom alloy catalysts from monometallic precursors.
Achieved atomic dispersion of precious metals with smaller nanoparticle sizes.
Demonstrated high activity and selectivity for vinyl acetate synthesis and ethanol dehydrogenation.

Conclusions:

The described method provides a scalable and generalizable route to synthesize SAAs.
This approach enhances catalyst performance for key chemical transformations.