Chemistry - Difference between Lindlar and Rosenmund catalysts

This is a rather interesting question because these names actually refer to classes of reactions (specific to certain reagents and products), and aren't constrained by specific proportions of substances or even the identity of these substances.

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A Rosenmund catalyst is used to reduce acyl chlorides to their corresponding aldehydes, and is typically composed of palladium supported on $\ce{BaSO4}$, and poisoned by sodium acetate, N,N-dimethylaniline, thiourea, thiophene, dibenzothiophene, ethyldiisopropyl amine, or, most commonly, quinoline.

A Lindlar catalyst is used to reduce alkynes to cis alkenes, and is typically composed of palladium supported on $\ce{BaCO3}$, $\ce{CaCO3}$, or carbon, and poisoned by lead acetate and quinoline.

The broad list of poisons which cause nearly identical catalytic activity of the supported palladium in both Lindlar and Rosenmund catalysts tells that the poisons are not involved in the catalytic process itself, but rather are affecting the surface of the catalyst. Interestingly, Lindlar-active palladium shows no activity for the conversion of benzoyl chloride to benzaldehyde under various conditions. This demonstrates that despite similar catalyst preparation procedures, the two reactions are catalyzed by different active sites.$^{[1]}$


$[1]$ Mcewen, A. B.; Guttieri, M. J.; Maier, W. F.; Laine, R. M.; Shvo, Y. The Journal of Organic Chemistry 1983, 48 (23), 4436–4438.

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