Regioselective hydrogenation of 1,2-indanedione yielding rac-2-hydroxy-1-indanone was investigated using heterogeneous Pt and Pd as catalysts. Five consecutive experiments were carried out for studying the performance of Pd/Al2O3. Practical operation under atmospheric pressure of hydrogen at low temperature (40 A degrees C) for 120 min gave the desired product in > 99 % regioselectivity, 84 % conversion and 77 % yield, according to GC, using 2 mol% Pd/Al2O3 as the catalyst.