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Steady_T

06/24/10 1:32 PM

#52210 RE: SteveF #52174

From the same Wiki article on catalysts....

Catalysts may affect the reaction environment favorably, or bind to the reagents to polarize bonds, e.g. acid catalysts for reactions of carbonyl compounds, or form specific intermediates that are not produced naturally, such as osmate esters in osmium tetroxide-catalyzed dihydroxylation of alkenes, or cause lysis of reagents to reactive forms, such as atomic hydrogen in catalytic hydrogenation.

Your interpretation is over simplifying a complex subject.