3655a.     WENDER, I., METLIN, S., AND ORCHIN, M.  Chemistry of the Oxo and Related Reactions.  V.  Acid Catalysis with Pinacol.  Jour. Am. Chem. Soc., vol. 73, 1951, pp. 5704-5706.

          Reaction of pinacol with CO and H₂ at 185° in the presence of a Co catalyst gives a complex mixture of products.  4 compounds more volatile than the starting material were idetnified; these were pinacolone, pinacolyl alcohol, 3,4-dimethylpentanol-1 and 2,2,3-trimethyltetrahydrofuran.  The origin of these compounds is consistent with the formation and further reaction  of a common carbonium-ion intermediate formed from pinacol under acidic conditions.  The acid catalyst is probably Co hydrocarbonyl, HCo(CO)₄.