Textbook Question
Predict the product(s) that would result when the alkenes are allowed to react under the following conditions: (ix) H2, Pd/C;
(d)
10. Addition Reactions
Hydrogenation
3:18 minutesProblem 45k(ix)
Textbook Question
Predict the product(s) that would result when the alkenes are allowed to react under the following conditions: (ix) H2, Pd/C
(k) 
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the type of reaction: The reaction involves an alkene (••) reacting with H₂ in the presence of a palladium catalyst (Pd/C). This is a catalytic hydrogenation reaction, which reduces the alkene to an alkane by adding hydrogen atoms across the double bond.
Analyze the structure of the alkene: Determine the position of the double bond in the alkene. The double bond is the reactive site where the hydrogenation will occur.
Understand the mechanism: In the presence of Pd/C, molecular hydrogen (H₂) is adsorbed onto the catalyst surface, and the alkene also adsorbs onto the catalyst. The double bond of the alkene interacts with the hydrogen atoms, leading to the addition of one hydrogen atom to each carbon of the double bond.
Predict the product: The double bond in the alkene is converted into a single bond, resulting in the formation of a saturated alkane. The stereochemistry of the product is important to note—hydrogenation typically occurs in a syn-addition manner, meaning both hydrogen atoms are added to the same face of the double bond.
Verify the product: Ensure that the resulting product is a fully saturated alkane with no remaining double bonds. Double-check the molecular structure to confirm that all carbons originally involved in the double bond now have single bonds and are fully saturated with hydrogen.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Hydrogenation
Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction that involves the addition of hydrogen (H₂) to an unsaturated compound, such as an alkene or alkyne, resulting in the formation of a saturated compound. This reaction typically requires a catalyst, such as palladium on carbon (Pd/C), which facilitates the breaking of the double bond in the alkene, allowing hydrogen atoms to add across the bond.
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Alkenes
Alkenes are hydrocarbons that contain at least one carbon-carbon double bond (C=C). They are unsaturated compounds, meaning they have fewer hydrogen atoms than alkanes with the same number of carbon atoms. The presence of the double bond makes alkenes more reactive than alkanes, allowing them to undergo various addition reactions, including hydrogenation.
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Catalysis
Catalysis is the process by which a substance, known as a catalyst, increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process. In the context of hydrogenation, palladium on carbon (Pd/C) serves as a catalyst that lowers the activation energy required for the reaction, enabling the addition of hydrogen to the alkene more efficiently and under milder conditions.
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