ABSTRACT
Hydrogenation is the most ubiquitous reaction in organic chemistry as well as in the commercial organic chemical industry. Both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts are used, but heterogeneous catalysts dominate commercial practice, especially for large-scale production. The reactions are exothermic and reversible so that temperature control is essential. From the array of modern supported catalysts, however, a standard catalyst can usually be selected that has a high activity, permitting operation at mild temperatures that favor high yields of the hydrogenated product.
