Hydroalkoxylation is a chemical reaction that combines alcohols with alkenes or alkynes. The process affords ethers.
The reaction converts alkenes to dialkyl or aryl-alkyl ethers: R'OH + RCH=CH2 → R'OCH(R)-CH3 Similarly, alkynes are converted to vinyl ethers: R'OH + RC≡CH → R'OC(R)=CH2 As shown, the reaction follows the Markovnikov rule. The process exhibits good atom-economy in the sense that no byproducts are produced. The reaction is catalyzed by bases and also by transition metal complexes.Alonso, F., Beletskaya, I. P., Yus, M., "Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Addition of Heteroatom-Hydrogen Bonds to Alkynes", Chemical Reviews 2004, volume 104, 3079. Usually symmetrical ethers are prepared by dehydration of alcohols and unsymmetrical ethers by the Williamson ether synthesis from alkyl halides and alkali metal alkoxides.Wilhelm Heitmann, Günther Strehlke, Dieter Mayer "Ethers, Aliphatic" Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2002, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.
See also Hydroamination Hydrofunctionalization
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