Final answer:
Oxymercuration prevents carbocation rearrangements and offers regioselectivity, providing a cleaner and more predictable outcome in alkene hydration compared to standard hydration methods.
Step-by-step explanation:
The benefit of using oxymercuration over standard hydration is primarily associated with its regioselectivity and the ability to prevent carbocation rearrangements. Oxymercuration is a method used to hydrate alkenes where a compound like mercuric acetate is added to the double bond, followed by a reduction step which replaces the mercury atom with a hydrogen. Unlike standard acid-catalyzed hydration, where a carbocation intermediate is formed that can lead to rearrangements and multiple products, oxymercuration produces a more predictable and cleaner outcome. Organic solvents play a role in this reaction by dissolving the reagents and allowing the reaction to proceed smoothly. This approach is particularly useful in organic chemistry where selectivity and the ability to obtain a single product is highly valuable.