Efficient catalytic transition-metal-free conditions for nucleophilic addition of arylacetylenes to aromatic ketones

A mild, efficient, and transition-metal-free method for nucleophilic addition of arylacetylenes to diverse aromatic ketones, using catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium chloride as a promoter and solid KOH as a base in THF, was developed to afford aromatic tertiary propargylic alcohols with high and excellent yields. Aliphatic ketones also gave satisfactory results.