General and selective head-to-head dimerization of terminal alkynes proceeding via hydropalladation pathway

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ol3010936

A general highly regio- and stereoselective palladium-catalyzed head-to-head dimerization reaction of terminal acetylenes is presented. This methodology allows for the efficient synthesis of a variety of 1,4-enynes as single E stereoisomers. Computational studies reveal that this dimerization reaction proceeds via the hydropalladation pathway.