Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Synthesis of Hypervalent Iodonium Alkynyl Triflates for the Application of Generating Cyanocarbenes
Published on: September 8, 2013
Thioalkynes in Ring Forming Reactions
Lifen Peng1, Zhiwen Yuan1, Zilong Tang1
1Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule of Ministry of Education, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Controllable Preparation and Functional Application of Fine Polymers, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, 411201, China.
Thioalkynes are versatile building blocks for synthesizing diverse organic cycles, including three- to six-membered and fused rings. This review highlights their applications in organic synthesis, offering facile access to valuable cyclic compounds.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Synthetic Chemistry
Background:
- Organic cyclic compounds possess unique properties crucial for chemistry, pharmacology, and material science.
- Thioalkynes are increasingly recognized as valuable synthons due to their accessibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and highlight the construction of diverse organic cycles using thioalkynes as key building blocks.
- To classify and detail the applications of thioalkynes in synthesizing various organic ring systems.
Main Methods:
- Summarizing synthetic strategies for accessing three-, four-, five-, six-membered, and fused organic cycles from thioalkynes.
- Presenting plausible reaction mechanisms for thioalkyne-mediated cyclizations where available.
Main Results:
- Thioalkynes enable the synthesis of various heterocycles and carbocycles, including 2H-azirines, cyclobutanes, cyclopentenes, thiophenes, oxazoles, and benzo[b]thiophenes.
- Demonstrated facile access to a wide array of organic cyclic structures through thioalkyne chemistry.
Conclusions:
- Thioalkynes are highly versatile synthons for constructing a broad spectrum of organic cyclic compounds.
- This review consolidates the synthetic utility of thioalkynes in organic synthesis, emphasizing their role in accessing valuable cyclic frameworks.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
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.
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.
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: 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.
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: 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.

