NEW METAL-CARBON CATALYSTS - II - THE ORIGIN OF SELECTIVITY OF NICKEL-CATALYSTS IN HYDROGENATION REACTIONS

The selectivity of nickel catalysts in butadiene hydrogenation depends on the nature of the crystallographic planes accessible to reactants and on the electron state of a metal, which is stipulated by the morph ology of their particles. Selective hydrogenation to butenes occurs on Ni(110), whereas complete hydrogenation occurs on Ni(111) and Ni(100) . Catalytic properties of individual crystallographic planes of nickel in hydrogenation at a normal pressure were qualitatively evaluated fo r the first time.