Real‐time mechanistic monitoring of an acetal hydrolysis using ultrafast 2D NMR

Ultrafast (UF) 2D NMR makes it possible to obtain a 2D NMR spectrum in less than a second. Here, UF‐HSQC experiments are used for the real‐time mechanistic study of an acetal hydrolysis at ¹³C natural abundance, and it is possible to characterize the presence of the hemiacetal, an intermediate with a well‐known short lifetime. The assignments are confirmed and rationalized by quantum calculations of ¹H and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts and natural bonding orbital analysis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.