Iridium-catalyzed coupling reaction of primary alcohols with 2-alkynes leading to hydroacylation products.

A novel iridium-catalyzed intermolecular coupling reaction of primary alcohols or aldehydes with 2-alkynes was successfully achieved with high regioselectivity to give hydroacylation products such as alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones in good yields. The mechanistic investigation of the reaction strongly indicated that the coupling proceeds through the initial formation of homoallylic alcohols followed by dehydrogenation to beta,gamma-unsaturated ketones and then isomerisation, which leads to the hydroacylation products.