Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 27, 2026

Synthesis of Hypervalent Iodonium Alkynyl Triflates for the Application of Generating Cyanocarbenes
Published on: September 8, 2013
Synthesis and Applications of Cyclohexenyl Halides Obtained by a Cationic Carbocyclisation Reaction
Pedro Alonso1, Pilar Pardo1, Raquel Fontaneda1
1Instituto Universitario de Química Organometálica "Enrique Moles", Universidad de Oviedo, Julián Clavería, 8, 33006, Oviedo, Spain.
Abstract:
The synthesis of cyclic alkenyl halides (mainly fluorides, chlorides and bromides) from alkynol or enyne derivatives by an acid-mediated cationic cyclisation reaction is disclosed. This high-yielding, scalable and technically simple method complements and challenges conventional methodologies. This study includes the development of biomimetic cationic cyclisation reactions of polyenyne derivatives to give interesting halogen-containing polycyclic compounds. The application of this reaction in the key step of the synthesis of two terpenes, namely austrodoral and pallescensin A, and the potent odorant 9-epi-Ambrox demonstrates the potential of the reaction for natural product synthesis.
Related Concept Videos
Halogenation of Alkenes
Consider the bromination of cyclopentene. Molecular bromine is polarized in the proximity of the π electrons of cyclopentene. An electrophilic bromine atom adds across the double bond, forming a cyclic bromonium ion intermediate.
Cycloaddition Reactions: Overview
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.
Acid-Catalyzed α-Halogenation of Aldehydes and Ketones
In the first step of the mechanism, the acid protonates the carbonyl oxygen resulting in a resonance-stabilized cation, which subsequently loses an α-hydrogen to form an enol tautomer. The C=C bond in an enol is highly nucleophilic because of the electron-donating nature of the –OH group. Consequently, the double bond attacks an electrophilic halogen to form a...
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.
α-Halogenation of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: Overview

