What are the key properties of an effective catalyst?
An effective catalyst must possess several key properties:
1. Activity: The catalyst should facilitate the reaction at a significant rate. 2. Selectivity: The catalyst must favor the formation of the desired product over any side reactions. 3. Stability: The catalyst should maintain its activity and selectivity over time and under the reaction conditions. 4. Reusability: It should be possible to recover and reuse the catalyst without significant loss in performance. 5. Non-toxicity: Especially for pharmaceutical and food applications, the catalyst should not introduce harmful substances.
