Chad Rezsnyak

Reactions of Gold (Iii) Complexes with Alkenes in Aqueous Solution: Formation of -hydroxyalkylgold (Iii) Complexes Chad Rezsnyak

Historically, the chemistry of gold has been underappreciated due to its inert and noble nature. Recently, investigations of the chemical properties of gold complexes have undergone a renaissance, due largely to its activity as a catalyst for organic reactions involving unsaturated substrates. This manuscript describes experiments undertaken to aid in establishing the fundamental aspects of gold-alkene reactions in an aqueous environment. A brief overview of gold chemistry (focusing mainly on the +3 oxidation state) and the reactions of gold(III) complexes with simple, unactivated alkenes in solution is presented.