Efficient silver-free gold(I)-catalyzed hydration of alkynes at low catalyst loading

The use of [(IPr)AuOH] as versatile, air- and moisture-stable pre-catalyst permits the in situ generation of the cationic gold(I) species [(IPr)Au]X after reaction with a Brønsted acid. This catalytic system presents as a main advantage the lack of use of a silver salt activator or co-catalyst which is often air-, light- and moisture-sensitive. A general gold(I)-catalyzed procedure using this in situ activation at very low catalyst loading is reported for the hydration of a broad range of internal and terminal alkynes.

A simple and efficient procedure, compatible with both terminal and internal alkynes, and requiring catalyst loadings as low as 100 ppm is reported. The use of [(IPr)AuOH] 1 as catalyst allowed to perform the hydration of alkynes under silver-free conditions by a simple acid activation.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide