🥼organic chemistry review

Lindlar catalyst

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

A Lindlar catalyst is a specially prepared palladium on calcium carbonate (Pd/CaCO3) that is poisoned with lead acetate and quinoline. It is used in organic chemistry to selectively hydrogenate alkynes to cis-alkenes, without reducing them further to alkanes.