t-BuOK promoted coupling of alkynes and aldehydes: a concise synthetic method of β,γ-unsaturated enones

A KOtBu-promoted coupling reaction of aldehydes and alkynes without a transition-metal catalyst was developed, in which the sequential addition/isomerization processes are involved in one pot. This approach is mild and gives ready access to β,γ-unsaturated enones in moderate to good yields.