In hydration of alkynes

A graphical representation of the dependence of the activity per acidic site of the zeolites on their Si/Al ratio is given in Fig. 2. It is known that zeolite acidity is enhanced by incrasing the Si/Al ratio (ref. 17,18). Therefore, the obtained linear correlation strongly suggests that the activity of zeolites in hydration of alkynes is a direct and single function of the acid strength and is not dependent of the zeolite framework. Such a result is consistent with the correlation obtained in olefin hydration (ref. 19). 

You have had earlier experience with enols in their role as intermediates in the hydration of alkynes (Section 9.12). The mechanism of enolization of aldehydes and ketones is precisely the reverse of the mechanism by which an enol is converted to a carbonyl compound. 

Enzyme-like Acceleration in Catalytic Anti-Markovnikov Hydration of Alkynes to... 

The hydration of alkynes represents a prime example in which simple coordinative activation by transition metal complexation greatly facilitates an otherwise very slow chemical process (Equation (107)). This reaction has been a long-studied problem, but only recently have alternatives to the classical use of catalysts such as Hg(n) salts been sought. These new catalyst systems typically display much enhanced reactivity, and some can mediate an anti-Markovnikov hydration through a novel mechanism (Table 1). 

Recently, a new class of supramolecular CpRu-containing catalysts for hydration of alkynes has emerged. These catalysts are based on the supramolecular self-assembly of monodentate ligands through hydrogen bonding association, as shown in Scheme 10.9 [41-43]. The remarkable activity of catalytic systems such as 15-17... 

Hydration and Hydroalkoxylation of Alkynes Gold compounds were first applied to catalyze these types of reactions by Utimoto et al. in 1991, when they studied the use of Au(III) catalysts for the effective activation of alkynes. Previously, these reactions were only catalyzed by palladium or platinum(II) salts or mercury(II) salts under strongly acidic conditions. Utimoto et al. reported the use of Na[AuCI41 in aqueous methanol for the hydration of alkynes to ketones [13]. 

The impressive activity achieved by Teles catalyst was improved some years later by the use of CO as an additive [92]. In this study, Hayashi and Tanaka reported a TOF of 15600h 1, at least two orders of magnitude higher than [as-PtCl2(tppts)2], for the hydration of alkynes, providing an alternative synthetic route to the Wacker oxidation. Although several solvents were tested, the best results were obtained with aqueous methanol, and sulfuric acid or HTfO as acidic promoters. Unlike Utimoto s observation, in this case terminal propargylic alcohols partially (17-20%) delivered anti-Markovnikov product, in addition to the Markovnikov species. Some years before, Wakatsuki et al. had already reported the anti-Markovnikov hydration of terminal alkynes catalyzed by ruthenium(II) [93]. 

The generally accepted pathway for the hydration of alkynes are the generation and subsequent tautomerization of an intermediate enol. The use of fairly concentrated acids, usually H2S04, is necessary to achieve suitable reaction rates. Addition of catalytic amounts of metal salts, however, greatly accelerates product formation. In most cases mercury(II) salts are used. Mercury-impregnated Nafion-H [with 25% of the protons exchanged for Hg(II)] is a very convenient reagent for hydration 35... 

Other cations (Cu2+, Pd2+, Ru3+, Ni2+, Rh3+) incorporated into Nafion-H have been found to promote hydration.36 Other metals that catalyze hydration of alkynes include gold(III),37 ruthenium(in),38 and platinum(II) (Zeise s salt39 40 and halides40), p-Methoxybenzenetellurinic acid is very effective in the hydration of terminal alkynes 41 Similar to the hydration of alkenes, photochemical acid-catalyzed hydration of alkynes is possible ... 

A highly regioselective, efficient, and clean anti-Markovnikov hydration of terminal acetylenes has been realized through the use of catalytic amounts of Ru complexes.561 Typically, [CpRu(dppm)Cl] catalyzes the reaction at 100°C to give aldehydes in high yields (81-94%). Triflic acid or trifluoromethanesulfonimide effectively catalyzes the hydration of alkynes without a metal catalyst to afford Markovnikov products (ketones).562... 

Hydration of alkynes yields carbonyl compounds and the ketone used in pyrylium syntheses has been successfully replaced by an alkyne (65CB334). Phenylacetylene, for example, reacts with 3-chloro-l-phenylprop-2-en-l-one to yield the 2,6-diphenylpyrylium salt. 

A number of useful reactions for the preparation of aldehydes and ketones, such as ozonization of alkenes and hydration of alkynes, have been considered in previous chapters. These and other methods of preparation are summarized in Tables 16-7 and 16-8 at the end of the chapter. Only a few rather general methods that we have not discussed will be taken up here. 

The hydration of alkynes is also accomplished by use of catalytic amounts of palladium and gold salts.305 The mildness of this reaction is demonstrated by the preparation of 5-oxo-prostaglandin derivatives (equation 202). In this connection, it should be noted that attempted use of other metal salts to catalyze C—-C triple bond hydrations has met with little success.306... 

Isotope effect studies of the mechanism of hydration of alkynes with formic acid as water donor485b,485c leading to ketones (equation 234a) have been undertaken recently4854 by observing the kinetic isotope fractionation of 13C in the course of carbon monoxide... 

Like aldehydes, ketones can be prepared in a number of ways. The following sections detail some of the more common preparation methods the oxidation of secondary alcohols, the hydration of alkynes, the ozonolysis of alkenes, Friedel-Crafts acylation, the use of lithium dialkylcuprates, and the use of a Grignard reagent. 

The initial product has a hydroxy group attached to a carbon-carbon double bond. Compounds such as this are called enols (ene + ol) and are very labile—they cannot usually be isolated. Enols such as this spontaneously rearrange to the more stable ketone isomer. The ketone and the enol are termed tautomers. This reaction, which simply involves the movement of a proton and a double bond, is called a keto—enol tautomerization and is usually very fast. In most cases the ketone is much more stable, and the amount of enol present at equilibrium is not detectable by most methods. The mechanism for this tautomerization in acid is shown in Figure 11.6. The mercury-catalyzed hydration of alkynes is a good method for the preparation of ketones, as shown in the following example ... 

Mercuric Ion-Catalyzed Hydration Alkynes undergo acid-catalyzed addition of water across the triple bond in the presence of mercuric ion as a catalyst. A mixture of mercuric sulfate in aqueous sulfuric acid is commonly used as the reagent. The hydration of alkynes is similar to the hydration of alkenes, and it also goes with Markovnikov orientation. The products are not the alcohols we might expect, however. 

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