In the first step, a positively charged cyclic intermediate called mercurinium ion is formed via the addition of mercury acetate to the double bond. Oxymercuration demercuration is an addition reaction that can be used to turn an alkene into alcohol In this reaction, an alkene reacts with mercury (ii) acetate (hg (oac) 2) in aqueous thf, followed by reduction with sodium borohydride (nabh 4). The net result is a markovnikov addition product in which the oh group bonds to the more substituted carbon atom of the alkene. Oxymercuration (addition of mercuric acetate and water) and demercuration (reduction to replace mercury with hydrogen). This intermediate is then reduced with sodium borohydride to form the final product.
This reaction includes two steps
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