Rhenium and Rhenium-Nickel Alloys as Hydrogenation Catalysts

The use of the element rhenium and its compounds for catalytic work is suggested by the position of the metal in the periodic table. Very little experimental work has been done, however, in the field of rhenium catalysis. Compounds of rhenium, as well as the metallic form, both supported and unsupported have been tried for oxidation, dehydration, dehydrogenation and hydrogenations reactions.