Hydroacylation is a type of organic reaction in which an electron-rich[1] unsaturated hydrocarbon inserts into a formyl C-H bond.
[1] It is almost invariably practiced as an intramolecular reaction using homogeneous catalysts, often based on rhodium phosphines.
Labeling studies establish the following regiochemistry: In terms of the reaction mechanism, hydroacylation begins with oxidative addition of the aldehydic carbon-hydrogen bond.
In the final step, the resulting alkyl-acyl or beta-ketoalkyl-hydride complex undergoes reductive elimination.
This process also proceeds via the intermediacy of the acyl metal hydride: This step can be followed by reductive elimination of the alkane: Hydroacylation as an asymmetric reaction was demonstrated in the form of a kinetic resolution.