Ligand-free Ag(I)-catalyzed carboxylative coupling of terminal alkynes, chloride compounds, and CO2

Simple silver(I) slats were found to be highly efficient and selective catalyst for carboxylative coupling of aryl- or alkyl-substituted terminal alkynes, CO2, and various allylic, propargylic or benzylic chlorides to exclusively yield functionalized 2-alkynoates. The activity is about 300 times that of the previously reported N-heterocyclic carbene copper(I) catalytic system. The ligand-free silver(I) catalytic system showed the wide generality of substrates involving both functionalized terminal alkynes and chloride compounds.