Mercuric triflate-TMU catalyzed hydration of terminal alkyne to give methyl ketone under mild conditions

Herein developed mercuric triflate-TMU catalyzed hydration of terminal alkyne is a mild procedure to give methyl ketone in excellent yield with high chemoselectivity. By using 0.05 eq of Hg(OTf)(2).(TMU)(2) and 3 eq of water, hydration takes place at a reasonable rate in acetonitrile.