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Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Preparation of a Corannulene-functionalized Hexahelicene by CopperI-catalyzed Alkyne-azide Cycloaddition of Nonplanar Polyaromatic Units
Published on: September 18, 2016
Copper(I)-Catalyzed Cyanoperfluoroalkylation of Alkynes
Muhammad Israr1,2, Haigen Xiong1,2, Yajun Li1
1State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Coal to Ethylene Glycol and Its Related Technology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 155 Yangqiao Road West, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
A highly chemoselective and regioselective copper-catalyzed radical cyanoperfluoroalkylation of alkynes is described. This three-component reaction directly uses commercially available alkynes, perfluoroalkyl iodides, and trimethylsilyl cyanide as the reaction partners and delivers a variety of perfluoroalkylated cyanoalkenes in good yields. Broad substrate scope and good functional group tolerance are observed. The perfluoroalkylated cyanoalkenes that are produced can be readily transformed into useful fluoroalkylated derivatives.
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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.
Nomenclature of Alkynes
Acid-Catalyzed Ring-Opening of Epoxides
Base-Catalyzed Ring-Opening of Epoxides
Acidity of 1-Alkynes
The acidic strength of hydrocarbons follows the order: Alkynes > Alkenes > Alkanes. The strength of an acid is commonly expressed in units of pKa — the lower the pKa, the stronger the acid. Among the hydrocarbons, terminal alkynes have lower pKa values and are, therefore, more acidic. For example, the pKa values for ethane, ethene, and acetylene are 51, 44, and 25, respectively, as shown here.
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.

