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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Synthesis of Nine-atom Deltahedral Zintl Ions of Germanium and their Functionalization with Organic Groups
Published on: February 11, 2012
GaCl(3)-catalyzed ortho-ethynylation of phenols
Katsumi Kobayashi1, Mieko Arisawa, Masahiko Yamaguchi
1Department of Organic Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba, Sendai 980-8578, Japan.
Abstract:
Phenols are ethynylated at the ortho position with silylated chloroethyne in the presence of a catalytic amount of GaCl3 and lithium phenoxide. The lithium salt is essential for the catalysis, and addition of 2,6-di(tert-butyl)-4-methylpyridine inhibits desilylation and hydration of the products. The reaction can be applied to various substituted phenols giving the ortho-ethynylated products in high yields, and the turnover numbers based on GaCl3 are between 8 and 10. The reaction mechanism involves addition of in situ formed phenoxygallium to the haloethyne followed by the elimination of GaCl3.
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