The given chemical reaction involves the addition of water to an alkene in the presence of mercuric acetate, followed by reduction with sodium borohydride. This reaction is known as oxymercuration-demercuration. Let's break down the steps:
Oxymercuration: The alkene undergoes electrophilic addition with mercuric acetate, Hg(OAc)2, in water. The mercuric ion adds to the less substituted carbon of the double bond, forming a mercurinium ion intermediate. Water then attacks the more substituted carbon, resulting in the formation of a Markovnikov alcohol intermediate.
Demercuration: The intermediate is then reduced with sodium borohydride (NaBH4), converting the C-Hg bond to a C-H bond and yielding the alcohol as the final product.
Thus, the major product is a Markovnikov alcohol, where the hydroxyl group (-OH) is added to the more substituted carbon of the alkene.
The figure above represents the correct structure of the major product.
