Copper-catalyzed alkyne–aryne coupling reaction under microwave conditions: preparation of unsymmetric and symmetric di-substituted alkynes

Several unsymmetric and symmetric alkynes were prepared excellent to modest yields by generating benzyne from the reaction of 2-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl triflate with CsF in the presence of CuI and terminal alkyne under microwave heating for 30 min at 150 °C. Using conventional heating, the reactions required 24 h reaction time.