Angewandte Chemie International Edition · 1999 · 73 citations · 0 references
Natural SciencesChemical EngineeringChemistryCatalysisOrganic ChemistryReaction EngineeringCatalyst DesignCatalytic MechanismsOrganic SynthesisCatalytic Reaction MechanismsCritical RegionNear-critical Fluid BehaviorNear-critical PathsSolvent Effects On CatalysisSupercritical Fluid ThermodynamicsSupercritical Fluids
Pinacol and Beckmann rearrangements can be carried out effectively by using supercritical water (scH(2)O) both as an acid catalyst as well as a medium. In the near-critical region not only are the rates significantly accelerated (see picture), but the nature of supercritical water can be adjusted to give weak acidity, which opens a new reaction pathway to a Diels-Alder adduct between dehydrated products.