By reduction of alkynes

Z double bond by Wittig reaction Z double bond by reduction of alkyne... 

Predominantly trans-alkcne is obtained by reduction of alkynes with sodium or lithium in liquid ammonia. Almost entirely cw-alkene (as high as 98%) is obtained by hydrogenation of alkynes with several different catalysts a specially... 

Hydrocyanation of acetylene is catalyzed by an aqueous solution of copper(I) chloride and ammonium chloride however, byproducts are also formed, viz., acetaldehyde and vinylacetylene, the latter arising by dimerization of acetylenes. Hydrocyanation, followed by reduction of alkynes leading to secondary nitriles, is catalyzed by Co(CN)5 in the atmosphere of H2 or by Ni(CN)4 in the presence of BH4 cyanide. 

Stereoselective and chemoselective semihydrogenation of the internal alkyne 208 to the ew-alkene 210 is achieved by the Pd-catalyzed reaction of some hydride sources. Tetramethyldihydrosiloxane (TMDHS) (209) i.s used in the presence of AcOH[116]. (EtO)3SiH in aqueous THF is also effective for the reduction of alkynes to di-alkenes[l 17], Semihydrogenation to the d.v-alkene 211 is possible also with triethylammonium formate with Pd on carbon[118]. Good yields and high cis selectivity are obtained by catalysis with Pd2fdba)3-Bu3P[119],... 

The mechanism by which the Birch reduction of benzene takes place (Figure 118) IS analogous to the mechanism for the metal-ammonia reduction of alkynes It involves a sequence of four steps m which steps 1 and 3 are single electron transfers from the metal and steps 2 and 4 are proton transfers from the alcohol... 

The above two consecutive transformations provide straightforward access from propargyl alcohols to cyclopropene derivatives with an a- or /1-hydroxy group. This simple method is complementary to the access to 3-hydroxymethylcyclopropenes, via Rh2(OAc)4 catalyzed addition of diazoacetate to alkynes followed by reduction of the ester group, a route that is restricted to the access of primary cyclopropenyl alcohols [57], and is an alternative to the use of 2,2-dibromo-l-chlorocyclopropane via cyclopropenyl Uthium. 

F. Sato developed titanium (Il)-based c/s-reduction of alkynes as shown in Scheme 5 [14], and the method was applied to the synthesis of pheromones by Kitching (Scheme 6) [15]. This titanium (Il)-based reaction gives pure (Z)-alkenes. Kitching summarized the contemporary methods for the synthesis of skipped polyynes and their reduction to skipped polyenes [15]. 

Scheme 20.29 Reduction of alkynes to trans-alkenes by chromous sulfate.

In the early 1980s, one of the first preparations of substituted allenes was reported, which employed a palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of allenyl halides [9]. In this study, allenyl bromides 13 and various Grignard reagents 14 were coupled in the presence of catalytic amounts of a Pd(0) species, generated in situ by reduction of a Pd(II) salt. Trisubstituted allenes 15 were obtained with high regioselectivity (allene 15 alkyne 16 = 90 10 to 99 1) (Scheme 14.5). 

The cobalt mediated homo Diels-Alder reaction of norbomadiene (560) with phenyl acetylene (568a), affording a phenyl substituted deltacyclene, demonstrated the potential of low-valent cobalt complexes as catalysts332. Lautens and coworkers327 extended the scope of this reaction and were able to synthesize a wide range of substituted deltacyclenes from alkynes 568 (equation 164, Table 33). The low-valent cobalt or cobalt(O) species to be used was prepared in situ by reduction of Co(acac)3 with Et2AlCl. Monosubstituted... 

Alkynes may also be hydrogenated, initially to alkenes, and then further to alkanes. By suitable modification of the catalyst, it has proved possible to stop the reaction at the intermediate alkene. Typically, platinum or palladium catalysts partially deactivated (poisoned) with lead salts are fonnd to be suitable for reduction of alkynes to alkenes. Again, syn addition is observed. 

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