What is oxymercuration?

Oxidation is the process of addition of oxygen or removal of hydrogen atoms during chemical reactions. One common example of oxidation is the oxymercuration reaction, which is used to convert alkenes into alcohols.

Oxymercuration is a two-step reaction that involves the addition of a mercuric acetate (Hg(OAc)2) and a borane (BH3) to an alkene followed by the addition of a reducing agent to produce an alcohol. The mercury and boron compounds act as catalysts in the reaction.

The oxymercuration reaction is often preferred over other methods of alkene hydration, such as acid-catalyzed hydration, because it is regioselective and avoids the formation of carbocation intermediates. This allows for the synthesis of alcohols in a more controlled and predictable manner.

Overall, oxymercuration is a useful method for the synthesis of alcohols from alkenes and is widely used in organic chemistry laboratories.