Hydrogenation of vegetable oils using nickel catalyst is an example of

Hydrogenation of vegetable oils using nickel catalyst is an example of

Substitution reaction.
Elimination reaction.
Addition reaction.
Free-radical polymerization.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2021
Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction that involves the addition of hydrogen gas (H₂) to a compound. Vegetable oils are unsaturated fats containing carbon-carbon double bonds (C=C). In the presence of a catalyst like nickel, hydrogen atoms add across these double bonds, converting them into single bonds (C-C) and making the oil saturated or partially saturated (like in the production of vanaspati ghee). This type of reaction, where atoms are added across a double or triple bond, is an addition reaction.
Addition reactions are characteristic of unsaturated compounds (alkenes, alkynes, etc.). Hydrogenation specifically involves the addition of hydrogen. Catalysts (like Ni, Pt, or Pd) are typically used to speed up the reaction rate.
Substitution reactions involve the replacement of one atom or group by another. Elimination reactions involve the removal of atoms or groups from a molecule to form a double or triple bond. Free-radical polymerization is a process where monomers join together to form a polymer chain via a free-radical mechanism.
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