Beilstein J. Org. Chem.2017,13, 2332–2339, doi:10.3762/bjoc.13.230
[W(O)(mnt)2] (1; mnt = maleonitriledithiolate) was proposed (Sarkar et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1997, 119, 4315) to be a functional analogue of the active center of the enzyme acetylenehydratase from Pelobacter acetylenicus, which hydrates acetylene (ethyne; 2) to acetaldehyde (ethanal; 3). In the
acetylene. A critical assessment of, and a possible explanation for the earlier reported results are offered. The title question is answered with "no".
Keywords: acetylenehydratase; alkynes; catalytic hydration; enzyme models; tungsten complexes; Introduction
In 1985, the enzyme acetylenehydratase
to aldehydes (Scheme 2b) [21][22][23]. Thus, we wondered if tungsten complex 1, and by analogy acetylenehydratase, is an alkyne hydration catalysts that follows a vinylidene–metal mechanism. This idea has also been considered by others [7][8][9][10] and was investigated in silico by Hillier and co
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Graphical Abstract
Scheme 1:
a) Acetylene hydratase catalyzes the hydration of acetylene to ethanal. b) Currently favored key-st...