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Updated: Dec 17, 2025

Preparation of a Corannulene-functionalized Hexahelicene by CopperI-catalyzed Alkyne-azide Cycloaddition of Nonplanar Polyaromatic Units
Published on: September 18, 2016
Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Oxidative Decarboxylative [2 + 2 + 1] Annulation of Cinnamic Acids with Alkynes: Access to
Shiyong Peng1, Nuan Chen1, Hong Zhang1
1School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, P. R. China.
Abstract:
An unprecedented palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidative decarboxylative [2 + 2 + 1] annulation of cinnamic acids with alkynes has been developed for the synthesis of polysubstituted pentafulvenes. Ag2CO3 and DMSO are essential for the reaction. This protocol features readily available starting materials, a wide substrate scope, and moderate to excellent yields. Moreover, various significant frameworks can be easily obtained from the late-stage transformations of pentafulvenes via oxidation, reduction, and Scholl-type reaction.
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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: 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.

