A Northwestern University-led international team of scientists has, for the first time, directly observed catalysis in-action ...

Binding of the hydroxyl group to the aldehyde (by reversible formation of a hemiacetal) would bring the ester close to the pyridine nitrogen, and enable nucleophilic catalysis and hydrolysis at a ...

This video shows a fleeting hemiacetal alkoxide intermediate, which the researchers, unprecedentedly, captured. The team also observed its reverse aldehyde elimination, generating an aldehyde and ...

The team identified previously unknown intermediate compounds that play crucial roles in the reaction, including a “hemiacetal complex” and “aldehyde oligomers,” which are basically specific ...