Complex molecules like active ingredients in pharmaceutical or agrochemical preparations are often only obtainable through catalysis. Moreover, large scale chemical products like building blocks for polymers or additives for plastics are also produced more efficiently by using catalysts.
Platinum group metals (PGM) – platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium and ruthenium – are often preferred as catalytic metal due to their outstanding catalytic activity and selectivity. Especially the homogeneous PGM catalysts (salts or metalorganic compounds) that are completely soluble in the reaction mixture enable high yields at relatively mild conditions (lower temperature and pressure).