Integrated chemical process: One-pot double elimination method for acetylenes

A novel one-pot process for synthesis of acetylenes has been achieved in wh ich the following series of steps are integrated: addition of an alpha-anio n of sulfone to aldehyde, trapping of the resulting adduct to incorporate a leaving group, and double elimination of this intermediate. Consolidation of Peterson elimination renders the process much simpler. This method provi des a convenient and high-yielding access to a variety of enynes and polyyn es as well as to functionally substituted aryl acetylenes containing haloge n(s) or acetal groups, which are useful building blocks for aryl acetylene scaffolds. Iteration of the one-pot generation of acetylenic bonds provides a new methodology for the buildup of aryl acetylene skeletons.