Studies towards the homogeneously catalysed hydration of ethylene to Et hanol
Abstract
HOCH2CH2HgX (1; X = Cl) in aqueous base is catalytically decomposed to ethanol and acetate by [Rh2(C5Me5)2(OH)3]Cl·4H2O (2); direct reaction of ethylene with Hg(OAc)2–complex (2) in the presence of base also yields comparable amounts of ethanol, some acetaldhyde also being formed.