The purpose of this research is to determine if hydrogermylation of different alkynes using water as the solvent is occurring “on” water rather than in water. This reaction is curious and of interest because both tributylgermanium hydride and the solid palladium catalyst, Pd(PPh3)4, used in these reactions are insoluble in water. This suggests that the reaction might not be taking place in the water but on top of it. In the reactions, a palladium catalyst (Pd(PPh3)4) of 3 mole percent, 1.2 equivalents of tributylgermanium hydride, and water are added to the alkyne. The reaction mixture was then heated to sixty-five degrees Celsius and stirred under nitrogen atmosphere. There were two common isomers produced, but a third isomer, isomer C, was observed unexpectedly, most likely deviating from the prospective reaction mechanism. Many of the reactions seemed to work well using water as a solvent. Experimentation details included within show that adding a surfactant to the reaction mixture results in a significant decrease in yield, lending support to our "on" water hypothesis.

Hydrogermylation of alkynes on water

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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