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Updated: May 15, 2026

Preparation of a Corannulene-functionalized Hexahelicene by Copper(I)-catalyzed Alkyne-azide Cycloaddition of Nonplanar Polyaromatic Units
Published on: September 18, 2016
Mn-catalyzed aromatic C-H alkenylation with terminal alkynes
Bingwei Zhou1, Hui Chen, Congyang Wang
1Beijing National Laboratory of Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Recognition and Function, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Abstract:
The first manganese-catalyzed aromatic C-H alkenylation with terminal alkynes is described. The procedure features an operationally simple catalyst system containing commercially available MnBr(CO)(5) and dicyclohexylamine (Cy(2)NH). The reaction occurs readily in a highly chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective manner delivering anti-Markovnikov E-configured olefins in high yields. Experimental study and DFT calculations reveal that (1) the reaction is initiated by a C-H activation step via the cooperation of manganese and base; (2) manganacycle and alkynylmanganese species are the key reaction intermediates; and (3) the ligand-to-ligand H-transfer and alkynyl-assisted C-H activation are the key steps rendering the reaction catalytic in manganese.
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Preparation of Alkynes: Alkylation Reaction
Alkylation of terminal alkynes with primary alkyl halides in the presence of a strong base like sodium amide is one of the common methods for the synthesis of longer carbon-chain alkynes. For example, treatment of 1-propyne with sodium amide followed by reaction with ethyl bromide yields 2-pentyne.
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Alkynes to Aldehydes and Ketones: Hydroboration-Oxidation
One of the convenient methods for the preparation of aldehydes and ketones is via hydration of alkynes. Hydroboration-oxidation of alkynes is an indirect hydration reaction in which an alkyne is treated with borane followed by oxidation with alkaline peroxide to form an enol that rapidly converts into an aldehyde or a ketone. Terminal alkynes form aldehydes, whereas internal alkynes give ketones as the final product.
Preparation of Alkynes: Dehydrohalogenation
Alkynes can be prepared by dehydrohalogenation of vicinal or geminal dihalides in the presence of a strong base like sodium amide in liquid ammonia. The reaction proceeds with the loss of two equivalents of hydrogen halide (HX) via two successive E2 elimination reactions.
Electrophilic Addition to Alkynes: Halogenation
Halogenation is another class of electrophilic addition reactions where a halogen molecule gets added across a π bond. In alkynes, the presence of two π bonds allows for the addition of two equivalents of halogens (bromine or chlorine). The addition of the first halogen molecule forms a trans-dihaloalkene as the major product and the cis isomer as the minor product. Subsequent addition of the second equivalent yields the tetrahalide.
Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution: Elimination–Addition

