Reduction of Alkynes

Recent Literature

A Pd/C-catalyzed hydrogenation using diphenylsulfide as a catalyst poison selectively reduces olefin and acetylene functionalities without hydrogenolysis of aromatic carbonyls and halogens, benzyl esters, and N-Cbz protective groups.
A. Mori, Y. Miyakawa, E. Ohashi, T. Haga, T. Maegawa, H. Sajiki, Org. Lett., 2006, 8, 3279-3281.

A new recyclable catalyst composed of palladium nanoparticles dispersed in an organic polymer was synthesized by a simple procedure from readily available reagents. This catalyst is robust, and highly active in many organic transformations including alkene and alkyne hydrogenation, carbon-carbon cross-coupling reactions, and aerobic alcohol oxidation.
C. M. Park, M. S. Kwon, J. Park, Synthesis, 2006, 3790-3794.

In situ generation of molecular hydrogen by addition of triethylsilane to palladium on charcoal results in rapid and efficient reduction of multiple bonds, azides, imines, and nitro groups, as well as deprotection of benzyl and allyl groups under mild, neutral conditions.
P. K. Mandal, J. S. McMurray, J. Org. Chem., 2007, 72, 6556-6561.

A generally applicable method for the introduction of gaseous hydrogen into a sealed reaction system under microwave irradiation allows the hydrogenation of various substrates in short reaction times with moderate temperatures between 80 °C and 100 °C with 50 psi of hydrogen.
G. S. Vanier, Synlett, 2007, 131-135.

γ-Hydroxy-α,β-acetylenic esters are used as precursors for the preparation of γ-hydroxy-α,β-alkenoic esters by means of trans-selective additions of two hydrogen atoms or one hydrogen atom and one iodine atom across the triple bonds. These methods allow the preparation of β-substituted and α,β-disubstituted alkenoic esters in highly stereoselective manners.
C. T. Meta, K. Koide, Org. Lett., 2004, 6, 1785-1787.

The hydrosilylation of alkynes using the ruthenium catalyst [Cp*Ru(MeCN)₃]PF₆ gives only (Z)-trans addition products. Subsequent protodesilylation of the crude vinylsilane products by the action of cuprous iodide and TBAF provides a general trans-alkyne reduction, which is compatible with many sensitive functional groups.
B. M. Trost, Z. T. Ball, T. Joege, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2002, 124, 7922-7923.

Indium hydride generated from readily available Et₃SiH and InCl₃ offers mild conditions and low toxicity, and is therefore a promising alternative to Bu₃SnH.
N. Hayashi, I. Shibata, A. Baba, Org. Lett., 2004, 6, 4981-4983.

N. Hayashi, I. Shibata, A. Baba, Org. Lett., 2004, 6, 4981-4983.