[3][4][5] The reaction is a strongly acid-catalyzed carbonylation and typically proceeds under pressures of CO and at elevated temperatures.
The commercially important synthesis of pivalic acid from isobutenes operates near 50 °C and 50 kPa (50 atm).
[8] The mechanism involves generation of a tertiary carbenium ion, which binds carbon monoxide.
Although the use of acidic ionic liquids for the Koch reaction requires relatively high temperatures and pressures (8 MPa and 430 K in one 2006 study[9]), acidic ionic solutions themselves can be reused with only a very slight decrease in yield, and the reactions can be carried out biphasically to ensure easy separation of products.
A large number of transition metal catalyst carbonyl cations have also been investigated for usage in Koch-like reactions: Cu(I),[10] Au(I)[11] and Pd(I)[12] carbonyl cations catalysts dissolved in sulfuric acid can allow the reaction to progress at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.