Homogeneous Gold Catalysis through Relativistic Effects: Addition of Water to Propyne

TL;DR

This study explores how relativistic effects stabilize Au(III) catalysts in water addition to propyne, revealing that non-relativistic conditions lead to catalyst dissociation, thus highlighting the importance of relativistic effects in gold catalysis.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates that relativistic effects are crucial for the stability of Au(III) catalysts in water addition reactions, providing new insights into gold catalysis mechanisms.

Findings

Au(III) catalysts dissociate under non-relativistic conditions

Relativistic effects stabilize Au(III) in catalytic cycles

Relativity explains the effectiveness of gold catalysts

Abstract

In the catalytic addition of water to propyne the Au(III) catalyst is not stable under non-relativistic conditions and dissociates into a Au(I) compound and Cl2. This implies that one link in the chain of events in the catalytic cycle is broken and relativity may well be seen as the reason why Au(III) compounds are effective catalysts.