The ketenes n-BuCH= C= O, PhCH= C= O, and Ph2C= C= O have been generated by flash photolysis and their reactivities toward water, including acid and base catalysis, have been measured in wholly aqueous media by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The phenyl group electronically enhances the reactivity of ketenes relative to n-butyl toward water and hydroxide, but retards reaction with protic acids. The presence of bulky groups, including ...
