Lindlar catalyst

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.

Related terms

Alkyne:

Hydrocarbons containing at least one carbon-carbon triple bond, serving as the starting material for reduction reactions.

Hydrogenation:

The chemical reaction that involves the addition of hydrogen (H2), typically to unsaturated organic compounds such as alkenes and alkynes.

Cis: Alkene - An alkene where the hydrogen atoms are positioned on the same side of the double bond, often resulting from selective hydrogenation processes like those using a Lindlar catalyst