Substituted alkyne synthesis under nonbasic conditions: copper carboxylate-mediated, palladium-catalyzed thioalkyne-boronic acid cross-coupling.

[figure: see text] A new methodology for the synthesis of substituted alkynes is described. In the presence of copper(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC) or copper (I) 3-methylsalicylate (CuMeSal), the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of thioalkyne derivatives with boronic acids affords functionalized alkynes in yields ranging from 39 to 91%. This coupling occurs efficiently under mild, nonbasic conditions with a wide variety of thioalkynes and boronic acids, providing a reaction complementary to the Sonogashira protocol.