Palladium nanoparticles are prepared from palladium(II) acetate and 2 equivalents of potassium tert-butoxide in the presence of 4-octyne. The palladium nanoparticles-tetrabutylammonium borohydride system shows excellent catalytic activity and selectivity in the semihydrogenation of alkynes to the [(Z)-]alkenes. The hydrogenation of 4-octyne is conducted with the catalyst system at a substrate-to-palladium molar ratio of 10,000-200,000 under 8 atm of hydrogen to give (Z)-4-octene in > 99% yield. Isomerization and over-reduction of the Z-alkene are very slow even after consumption of the alkyne. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.