Structure / Activity Correlations of Hydrogenation Catalysts The reason for different activities of group VIII metal catalysts in several hydrogenation reactions is unknown. The activity of group VIII metal catalysts decreases in the hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde to butyraldehyde in the following sequence Pd > Pt > Ni > Rh > Co; Ir. However in the hydrogenation of butyraldehyde to butanol the sequence of metals is inversely. The hydrogenations of crotonaldehyde and butyraldehyde proceed as ligand addition reactions. The reaction rate depends on the nucleophilicity of atomically chemisorbed hydrogen. Whereas the reaction rate in the hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde increases, the hydrogenation rate of butyraldehyde decreases with the nucleophilicity of atomically chemisorbed hydrogen.