Researchers discover way to use iron as catalyst for widely
used chemical process, replacing heavy metals
Researchers from McGill University, RIKEN (The Institute of
Physical and Chemical Research, Wako, Japan) and the Institute for Molecular
Science (Okazaki, Japan) have discovered a way to make the widely used chemical
process of hydrogenation more environmentally friendly – and less expensive.
Hydrogenation is a chemical process used in a wide range of
industrial applications, from food products, such as margarine, to
petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. The process typically involves the use of
heavy metals, such as palladium or platinum, to catalyze the chemical reaction.
While these metals are very efficient catalysts, they are also non-renewable,
costly, and subject to sharp price fluctuations on international markets.