Copper‐catalyzed homo‐ and cross‐coupling reactions of terminal alkynes in ethyl lactate

Abstract

The bio‐based chemical ethyl lactate (EL) has been discovered to be an excellent medium for the Glaser‐type homo‐ and cross‐coupling reactions of terminal alkynes. Good to excellent yields of conjugate diynes have been obtained under ligand‐free and mild heating conditions in the presence of CuI and molecular oxygen. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.