Copper-catalyzed regioselective reaction of internal alkynes and diaryliodonium salts.

The copper-catalyzed highly regioselective reaction of internal alkynes with diaryliodonium salts was achieved for the first time. α-Arylketones were obtained in moderate to good yields from arylpropargylic alcohols or aryl alkyl alkynes under mild conditions. It was found that the two kinds of substrates underwent two different arylation-oxygenation pathways under different reaction conditions based on deuterated experiments, controlling experiments, and spectroscopic analysis of reaction intermediates.