BaSO4 is one of imp. components of lindlar's catalyst which reduces the alkyne to alkene and benzoyl chloride to benzenealdehyde .here BaSO4 acts as solvent
BaSO4 is used to poison palladium to reduce its reactivity by getting absorbed on its surface and reducing the surface area and hence reactivity....this helps in controlled reduction to aldehyde
barium sulphate is responsilble for poisoning the surface of the catalyst preventing over reduction. If this is not done the aldehyde formed will be easily reduced to the primary alcohol.