Nomenclature
CAS number: 7440-02-0
Raney nickel catalyst.
Description and references
Prepd by fusing 50 parts nickel with 50 parts
aluminum: Raney, US 1628190 (1927); US 1915473 (1933); pulverizing the
alloy and dissolving out most of the aluminum with NaOH soln: Covert,
Adkins, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 54, 4116 (1932); Ruggli, Preiswerk, Helv. Chim. Acta 22, 494 (1939); Mozingo, Org. Synth. 21, 15 (1941). Absorption
studies: Kokes, Emmett, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 83, 29 (1961). The residual aluminum, which amounts
to several percent, appears to be necessary for proper catalytic activity.
Review: J. S. Pizey, Synthetic
Reagents vol. 2 (John Wiley, New York, 1974)
pp 175-311.
Properties
Grayish-black powder or cubic crystals. Ignites on contact with air. Contains hydrogen
and has been attributed the formula Ni2H. Generally stored
under alcohol, although ether, water, methylcyclohexane, and dioxane
may be used. Raney nickel loses its hydrogen slowly on storage and
becomes inactive. Properly prepd and stored it should remain active
for 6 months.Use
Catalyst for the hydrogenation of organic compds
with gaseous hydrogen. Usually from 1 to 10% of the substance to
be reduced is employed. Is active at room temp and 1 atm pressure,
but is also used at high temps and high pressures,
see H.
B. Adkins,
Reactions of Hydrogen (Madison, 1937).