A simple and efficient protocol for Fe/Cu cocatalyzed oxidative homocoupling reaction of terminal alkynes to symmetrical 1,4-disubstituted-1,3-diynes was presented. The results showed that both CuBr and FeCl₃ played crucial roles in the reaction. It is noteworthy that this protocol employs mild, efficient, aerobic and ligand free conditions. The alkynes, including aromatic, heteroaromatic and aliphatic alkynes, were transformed into the corresponding 1,3-diynes in good to excellent yields.

An efficient synthesis of various α-halo,α-allylic aldehydes from α,α-dihalo ketones using both cyclic (3-bromocyclohex-1-ene zinc bromide and (Z)-3-bromocyclobut-1-ene zinc bromide) and acyclic (allylzinc bromide and cinnamylzinc bromide) type of allylic organozinc bromide with DMF as base is described. A possible reaction mechanism is also proposed.

A facile and efficient pathway for the copper iodide and ligand N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethane-1,2-diamine promoted homocoupling reaction of terminal alkynes under ambient temperature and air as an oxidant was reported. The alkynes, including aromatic alkynes and aliphatic alkynes, could afford the symmetrical 1,4-disubstituted 1,3-diynes in good to excellent yields.

The utility of allylsamarium bromide, both as a nucleophilic reagent and a single-electron transfer (SET) reagent in the reaction of α-halo, γ-halo-α,β-unsaturated ketones and esters with allylsamarium bromide is reported for the first time in this paper. From a synthetic point of view, a general, efficient and experimentally simple one-pot method for the preparation of 1,4-dienes and trienes is developed. A possible mechanism of the transformation is proposed.

Various biologically important perimidine derivatives have been efficiently synthesized in excellent yields using naphthalene-1,8-diamine with various ketones in the presence of a catalytic amount of Yb(OTf)₃. The influence of the loading of Yb(OTf)₃, reaction solvent, the structure of ketones was studied. This method is a very easy, simple and high yielding reaction for the synthesis of perimidine derivatives.