Chemoselective hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds over heterogeneous catalysts

Chemoselective hydrogenation of unsaturated aldehydes and ketones over heterogeneous catalysts is a demanding task. The achieved selectivity levels depend both on the electronic and geometric structures of reactants and metal surfaces. Recent development in catalyst preparation, selection of new solvents, catalyst and reactor structures have been reviewed in this work. Additionally, catalyst characterization technique, especially alloy formation and in situ characterizations have been discussed in detail. The deep understanding of the catalyst structure is necessary for development of tailor-made catalysts for chemoselective hydrogenations. The state of art in both kinetic and molecular modelling used in chemoselective hydrogenations was presented. Some special features, like conversion–selectivity relationship and the performance in gas and liquid phase hydrogenations were discussed.