Final answer:
During alkoxymercuration-demercuration, an alkene reacts with an alkylmercury compound to form an alkoxymercury intermediate, which is then demercurated by a reducing agent to yield the alcohol product. The reagents used are an alkene, an alkylmercury compound (commonly mercuric acetate), and a reducing agent (commonly sodium borohydride or sodium hydroxide).
Step-by-step explanation:
During alkoxymercuration-demercuration, an alkene reacts with an alkylmercury compound to form an alkoxymercury intermediate. This intermediate is then demercurated by a reducing agent to yield the desired alcohol product.
The reagents used in alkoxymercuration-demercuration are an alkene, an alkylmercury compound (commonly mercuric acetate), and a reducing agent (commonly sodium borohydride or sodium hydroxide). For example, if we have an alkene like propene and we react it with mercuric acetate, followed by the addition of sodium borohydride, we would obtain the alcohol product 2-propanol.