Catalytic and Oxidative Methoxymercuration of Terminal Alkynes: Syntheses of 2-Methoxy-1-alkenes and 2-Methoxyacrolein Acetals

Article abstract of DOI:10.1055/s-1988-27495

2-Methoxy-1-alkenes 2 are easily obtained by reaction of a variety of 1-alkynes with an excess of methanol in the presence of triethylamine and catalytic amounts of mercury(II) chloride.By changing the molar ratio of the reagents and increasing the reaction time, propargyl ethers undergo a further oxidative process to give the 2-methoxyacrolein acetals 3.