Is the tungsten(IV) complex (NEt₄)₂[WO(mnt)₂] a functional analogue of acetylene hydratase?

• Matthias Schreyer and
• Lukas Hintermann

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 acetylene hydratase 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: acetylene hydratase; alkynes; catalytic hydration; enzyme models; tungsten complexes; Introduction In 1985, the enzyme acetylene hydratase

• to aldehydes (Scheme 2b) [21][22][23]. Thus, we wondered if tungsten complex 1, and by analogy acetylene hydratase, 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