The catalytic addition of water to alkynes (hydration) generates valuable carbonyl compounds from unsaturated hydrocarbon precursors. Traditional mercury(II) catalysts hydrate terminal alkynes with Markovnikov selectivity to methyl ketones. Much research has been devoted to finding catalysts based on less toxic metals, the most promising being gold(I), gold(III), platinum(II), and palladium(II). Catalytic anti-Markovnikov hydration of terminal alkynes to aldehydes has been realized in an efficient manner with ruthenium(II) complex catalysts. The present review article lists known hydration catalysts and discusses applications of catalytic hydration to different classes of substrates, with an emphasis on functional group tolerance and regioselectivity. 6 Reactions Related to Catalytic Alkyne Hydration 7 Conclusions and Outlook

The anti-Markovnikov hydration of terminal alkynes to give aldehydes is catalyzed by complexes derived in situ from air-stable [CpRu(eta6-naphthalene)]PF6 (C) and 6-aryl-2-diphenylphosphinopyridines (L). Ligands L are readily available from a modular synthesis. Increasing the size of the ligand C-6 aryl group in the order R = Ph < mesityl < 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl < (2,4,6-triphenyl)phenyl gave hydration catalysts of highest known activity. [reaction: see text]

The family of AZARYPHOS (aza–aryl–phosphane) phosphane ligands, containing a phosphine unit and sterically shielded nitrogen lone pairs in the ligand periphery, is introduced as a tool for developing ambifunctional catalysis by the metal center and nitrogen lone pairs in the ligand sphere. General synthetic strategies have been developed to synthesize over 25 examples of structurally diverse (6‐aryl‐2‐pyridyl)phosphanes (ARPYPHOS), (6‐alkyl‐2‐pyridyl)phosphanes (ALPYPHOS), 4,6‐disubsituted 1,3‐diazin‐2‐ylphosphanes or 1,3,5‐triazin‐2‐ylphosphanes, quinazolinylphosphanes, quinolinylphosphanes, and others. The scalable syntheses proceed in a few steps. The incorporation of AZARYPHOS ligands (L) into complexes [RuCp(L)2(MeCN)][PF6] (Cp=cyclopentadienyl) gives catalysts for the anti‐Markovnikov hydration of terminal alkynes of the highest known activities. Electronic and steric ligand effects modulate the reaction kinetics over a range of two orders of magnitude. These results highlight the importance of using structurally diverse ligand families in the process of developing cooperative ambifunctional catalysis by a metal and its ligand.

Bulky heterocycles: A highly selective catalytic cross‐coupling reaction of tertiary Grignard reagents with chloroazacycles provides a shortcut to heterocyclic building blocks for applications in pharmaceutical chemistry and supramolecular chemistry, or as ligand precursors in transition‐metal catalysis (see scheme).

The amino-zinc-ene-enolate cyclization reaction is a straightforward route to the synthesis of 3-substituted prolines. Herein we report the application of this reaction to the syntheses of proline chimeras of lysine, glutamic acid, glutamine, arginine, and serine. All these compounds were obtained in enantiomerically pure form and suitably protected for peptide synthesis.