Copper-catalysed three-component carboiodination of arynes: expeditious synthesis of o-alkynyl aryl iodides.

A copper-catalysed three-component iodoalkynylation reaction of arynes for the expeditious and versatile synthesis of o-alkynyl aryl iodides has been developed. Mechanism research shows that the reaction goes through two steps enabled by copper catalysis: the formation of 1-iodo-2-arylacetylene and the insertion of the aryne into a C(sp)-I bond.