Synthesis of Secondary Alcohols from Alkynes in Water
An Efficient Hydration and Tandem Transfer Hydrogenation of Alkynes for the Synthesis of Alcohol in Water: N. Luo, Y. Zhong, J.-T. Liu, L. Ouyang, R. Luo
Synthesis 2020,52, DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1707233
The development of environmentally friendly chemical processes relying on the use of water as a solvent and exploiting the potential of catalysts for enabling the reaction to occur under mild and operationally simple conditions are key aspects of modern green organic chemistry. An important step forward in this area of research has been recently achieved by the group of Dr. Renshi Luo from Gannan Medical University (Ganzhou, P.R. of China) who reported the straightforward conversion of alkynes into alcohols in water using Tang’s catalyst.
Dr. Luo said: “This is a practical and efficient method for the synthesis of alcohols in one pot from readily available alkynes via a tandem process by formic acid promoted hydration and metal-ligand bifunctional iridium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation.”