Highly Efficient and Selective Synthesis of Conjugated Triynes and Higher Oligoynes of Biological and Materials Chemical Interest via Palladium-Catalyzed Alkynyl−Alkenyl Coupling^†

Iteration of a Pd-catalyzed reaction of alkynyl- and oligoynylzincs with (E)-ICHCHCl followed by metalation−termination with electrophiles(E) has provided a linear route to conjugated tri- and tetraynes, and Pd-catalyzed monoalkynylation of 1,1-dibromoenynes accompanied by dehydrobromination has provided a convergent route to conjugated tri- , tetra- , and pentaynes. Both display unprecedented high efficiency and selectivity.