Electrocatalytic Reduction Using Raney Nickel

The Raney nickel catalyst was employed as a catalytic electrode in the electrohydrogenation of various unsaturated compounds, including ketones, aromatic aldehydes, Schiff’s bases, oximes, nitriles, aromatic nitro compounds, olefins, and acetylenes. The hydrogen generated electrochemically was adsorbed and activated at the surface of the catalyst; it effectively hydrogenated these compounds, affording products which are very similar to those obtained in a normal catalytic hydrogenation with Raney nickel.