The Vespiary

The addition of sodium borohydride to an aqueous solution of Nickel(II)Acetate forms a precipitate of Nickel Boride (Ni₂B, P-1 Nickel) which is at least as active as Raney Nickel for catalytic hydrogenation at 1 atm.

Catalytic Hydrogenation. V. The Reaction of Sodium Borohydride with Aqueous Nickel Salts.
P-1 Nickel Boride, a Convenient, Highly Active Nickel Hydrogenation Catalyst
Charles Allan Brown

J. Org. Chem. 56, 1900-1904 (1970) (https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/pdf/nickel.boride.cat-hyd-1atm.pdf)

(https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/pdf/nickel.boride.cat-hyd-1atm.pdf)

Abstract
The reaction of sodium borohydride with aqueous solutions of nickel salts immediately produces a finely divided black precipitate. This material (P-1 nickel) is a highly active catalyst for atmospheric pressure hydrogenations, more active than Raney nickel. The hydrogenations of a variety of alkenes have been examined and all but the most hindered double bonds were reduced successfully. Certain dienes were reduced cleanly to single olefinic products. P-1 nickel has marked advantages over Raney nickel: it is not pyrophoric; it is readily prepared in situ; it is highly reproducible.

Synthetically useful reactions with metal boride and aluminide catalysts

Chem. Rev. 86, 763-780 (1986) (https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/pdf/metal.boride.review.pdf)

(https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/pdf/metal.boride.review.pdf)

This paper covers:

• The making of P1- and P2-Ni₂B
• Hydrogenation of alkenes and alkynes
• Reduction of arenes
• Reduction of halides
• Reduction of nitriles
• Reduction of nitro compounds
• Reduction of other nitrogenous functional groups such as oximes, amides, azoxy and nitroso
• Deoxygenation reactions
• Desulfurization

Great! I have uploaded that one to my page and linked it from your post.

I made som P1-Ni₂B today just to see how active it was with a couple of my standard hydrogen donors.

with aq. sodium hypophosphite - very active at room temp
with MeOH/sodium hypophosphite - very active at room temp
with aq ammonium formate - active at room temp, very active at 50°C
with MeOH/ammonium formate - active at room temp, very active at 50°C

Now it is time to reduce something

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Catalytic hydrogenation freak

Perhaps we could check it in the CTH reductive amination. Could you detail the preparation of the catalyst ?

The preparation is available in the first post in this thread.

So stupid... I have NiCl2, and there's something about bad effects of Cl and Na ions in the catalyst, it's a complication.

hey Barium, could you put a write up on your procedure for the reduction of (your choice) a compound including catalyst prep?

He's done that before, just perform a search on his name.

must have missed it