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Updated: Mar 5, 2026

Facile Preparation of 2Z,4E-Dienamides by the Olefination of Electron-deficient Alkenes with Allyl Acetate
Published on: June 21, 2017
Aluminum-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Silylalkynes with Aliphatic C-F Bonds
Amit K Jaiswal1, Kelvin K K Goh1, Simon Sung1
1Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore , 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543.
Abstract:
We report the generation of aliphatic and benzylic acetylenes via reaction of primary, secondary, and tertiary aliphatic fluorides with various trimethylsilyl acetylides. These reactions are catalyzed by Al and B Lewis acids, most effectively by the extremely fluorophilic tris(pentafluorophenyl)alane, representing the first example of catalytic incorporation of alkynes into aliphatic C-F positions. The fluorophilicity of the catalysts gives rise to fluorine selectivity over other halogens, allowing orthogonal reactivity pathways.
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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.
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.
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.
Alkenes via Reductive Coupling of Aldehydes or Ketones: McMurry Reaction
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.
Alkynes to Aldehydes and Ketones: Acid-Catalyzed Hydration
Analogous to alkenes, alkynes also undergo acid-catalyzed hydration. While the addition of water to an alkene gives an alcohol, hydration of alkynes produces different products such as aldehydes and ketones.