Acid-catalyzed hydration of alkynes in aqueous microemulsions.

Terminal aromatic alkynes are converted rapidly into ketones in a regioselective manner by treatment of their microemulsions with 0.33 M mineral acid between 80 and 140 °C. Internal and aliphatic acetylenes are likewise hydrated, but require longer reaction periods. The products are easily isolated from the reaction mixtures by phase separation. Replacement of H2 O by D2 O leads to the formation of trideuteriomethyl ketones.