Modern Trends in Catalyst and Process Design for Alkyne Hydrogenations

This review provides an overview of the recent achievements in catalytic process development for alkyne hydrogenations. It underlines the necessity of simultaneous optimization over different length scales from molecular/nanoscale of active phase, up-to macro-scale of catalytic reactor design. One case study, the hydrogenation of 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol, is analyzed in detail to illustrate the practical application of this approach. Finally, it presents the personal view of the authors concerning the new trends and paths available in the field.