An excellent nickel boride catalyst for the cis-selective semihydrogenation of acetylenes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4039(95)02347-X

Internal alkynes were hydrogenated quantitatively to the corresponding cis-alkenes over nickel boride (Ni₂B), prepared on borohydride exchange resin (BER) in methanol under hydrogen atmosphere. Further hydrogenation was very slow under the reaction conditions, and pure cis-alkenes were conveniently isolated in excellent yields. Hydroxy and ester functional groups did not interfere with the semihydrogenation.