What Are Some Examples of Electronic Effects in Catalysis?
One classic example is the hydrogenation of alkenes using transition metal catalysts such as palladium or platinum. The electronic properties of the metal can be tuned by varying the ligands, which in turn affects the rate and selectivity of hydrogenation. Another example is the Ziegler-Natta catalyst used for polymerization of olefins; the electronic effects of the ligands influence the polymerization process, affecting the molecular weight and stereoregularity of the resulting polymer.
