Metal-ion assisted catalysis of nucleophilic attack. Part I. Zinc–anion co-operation in aldehyde hydration

Abstract

The hydration of acetaldehyde has been studied as a ‘typical’ reaction involving nucleophilic attack upon the carbonyl group. This hydration is catalysed by zinc ions and the catalysis is enhanced by the presence of anions, acetate, and hydroxide in the systems studied. The co-operation between zinc and these ions in catalysis has been subjected to kinetic investigation and certain mechanistic deductions have been made. The relevance of this study to the mechanism of action of the hydrolytic enzyme carbonic anhydrase is discussed.