A copper (I or II)/diethylphosphite catalytic system for base-free additive dimerization of alkynes

Copper (I) or copper (II) salts and oxides promote regioselective head-to-head additive dimerization of aromatic and aliphatic terminal alkynes in the presence a catalytic amount of diethylphosphite. The reaction proceeds under ambient conditions without any added base with the formation of 1,4-disubstituted 1,3-enynes with the E isomer as major product in good to excellent yields. A plausible mechanism for additive dimerization of terminal alkynes is proposed.