Supported gold nanoparticle-catalyzed hydration of alkynes under basic conditions.

TiO2-supported nanosize gold particles catalyze the hydration of alkynes using morpholine as a basic cocatalyst. Unlike most homogeneous cationic gold catalysts, the TiO2-Au/morpholine system is weakly basic and is compatible with acid-sensitive functional groups (e.g., silyl ethers, ketals) or with a strongly coordinating group such as pyridine. What's more, this gold catalyst can be recycled by simple filtration and works well in flow reactors.