One-pot synthesis of 5,5′-dibromo-2,2′-dipyridylacetylene and its boronic acid derivative

5,5′-Dibromo-2,2′-dipyridylacetylene was prepared from 2,5-dibromopyridine and (trimethylsilyl)acetylene via the new one-pot synthesis approach using a regioselective palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction with a 60% yield. Several protocols of lithium–halogen exchange were then attempted to synthesize 6,6′-(1,2-ethynediyl)bis[3-pyridylboronic acid] from 5,5′-dibromo-2,2′-dipyridylacetylene. The former was successfully obtained with a 54% yield by a reverse addition method using toluene and THF and it showed potential as a useful building block for cross-coupling reactions in the formation of carbon–carbon bonds.