Selective hydrogenation catalyzed by polymeric palladium and platinum complexes

An organic polymer containing a diphenylbenzyl‐phosphine functional group, combined with PtCl2 or PdCl2, gives a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst which is analogous to the homogeneous catalysts PtCl2(Pø3)2 and PdCl2(Pø3)2. In the hydrogenation of soybean methyl ester, this catalyst is highly selective, the products being monoene and diene, with almost no increase in the content of saturated ester.