Sabatier‐Senderens Reduction

Abstract

Abstract Sabatier and Senderens established nickel-based hydrogenation and converted the unsaturated organic molecules into corresponding saturated compounds by passing the vapor of organic molecules and hydrogen over hot, finely divided nickel and is know as Sabatier–Senderens reduction. Purity of nickel and reaction temperature are the most critical parameters for this reaction. This reaction is different from reductions using nascent hydrogen as the reducing agent, such as amalgam of sodium in alcohol (alkaline condition) and or zinc or tin with hydrochloric acid (acidic medium). Further the study finds the successful conversion of oleic acid into stearic acid, acetone to isopropanol, carbon monoxide into methane or a gaseous mixture rich in methane, phenol and p-cresol into cyclohexanol and p-methylcyclohexanol, etc. It is also found that the reduced cobalt, iron, copper, and powdered platinum have catalytic activities similar to nickel and reduce the naphthalene into tetralin.