Chiral Alkene Hydrogenation for Drug Synthesis

Catalytic hydrogenation adds molecular hydrogen to an alkene double bond and turns it into an alkane. A transition-metal catalyst drives the reaction, and the hydrogen atoms add in syn stereochemistry, meaning they enter from the same side.

The catalyst can be heterogeneous or homogeneous. When h...

Catalytic hydrogenation of an alkene is the reduction of the C=C bond using molecular hydrogen to give an alkane in the presence of a transition-metal catalyst.

The catalyst used for hydrogenation can be heterogeneous, that is, finely divided metal over charcoal, or homogeneous, like Wilkinson's catalyst, giving a syn addition product.