Highly active gauze-supported skeletal nickel catalysts.

Gauze-supported skeletal nickel catalysts were prepared by electrodeposition of Ni-Zn alloys from an acetamide-DMSO2-NiCl2-ZnCl2 quaternary melt, followed by chemical or electrochemical leaching of zinc from the alloys. The activity and selectivity of the structured RANEY® nickel surpass those of commercial RANEY® nickel in the hydrogenation of acetophenone.