Hydroacylation

Hydroacylation is a type of organic reaction in which an alkene is inserted into the a formyl C-H bond. The product is a ketone. The reaction requires a metal catalyst. It is almost invariably practiced as an intramolecular reaction using homogeneous catalysts, often based on rhodium phosphines. Hydroacylation is a type of organic reaction in which an alkene is inserted into the a formyl C-H bond. The product is a ketone. The reaction requires a metal catalyst. It is almost invariably practiced as an intramolecular reaction using homogeneous catalysts, often based on rhodium phosphines. With an alkyne in place of alkenes, the reaction produce an α,β-unsaturated ketone. The reaction was discovered as part of a synthetic route to certain prostanoids. The reaction required tin tetrachloride and a stoichiometric amount of Wilkinson's catalyst. An equal amount of a cyclopropane was formed as the result of decarbonylation. The first catalytic application involved cycization of 4-pentenal to cyclopentanone using with Wilkinson's catalyst. In this reaction the solvent was saturated with ethylene.