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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Chemoselective Preparation of 1-Iodoalkynes, 1,2-Diiodoalkenes, and 1,1,2-Triiodoalkenes Based on the Oxidative Iodination of Terminal Alkynes
Published on: September 12, 2018
E-Selective Iodobis(trifluoromethyl)carbinolation of Arylalkynes Enabled by Red or Green Light Irradiation
Wenting Lai1, Bojing Deng1, Fangzhuo Qin1
1Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai 200444, China.
Abstract:
The bis(trifluoromethyl)carbinol motif is a privileged pharmacophore in medicinal chemistry; however, efficient and stereoselective access to its alkenyl derivatives remains a significant synthetic challenge. Herein, we disclose a photoinduced, catalyst-free iodobis(trifluoromethyl)carbinolation of arylalkynes using iodobis(trifluoromethyl)carbinol ester as a versatile radical precursor. Under mild red or green light irradiation, this protocol furnishes structurally diverse β-iodoalkenyl bis(trifluoromethyl)carbinols with excellent E selectivity. Its practical utility is further demonstrated by the late-stage functionalization of a series of bioactive molecules.
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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.
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