Recent progress in the catalytic transformation of acetylene

Acetylene, a traditional industrial raw material, has garnered increasing attention in modern organic synthesis over the past two decades. Its catalytic transformation has emerged as an atom-economical and efficient strategy for producing a variety of high value-added compounds. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advancements and breakthroughs in the catalytic conversion of acetylene, focusing on two main categories: transition-metal-catalyzed transformations and photo-catalyzed/promoted transformations. The discussions center on various reaction intermediates, including alkenylmetals, acetylides, metallacyclopentadienes or heterometallacycles, gold carbenes, alkenyl-Ni complexes, and vinyl radicals. Furthermore, this review delves into the detailed mechanisms and diverse derivatizations of these reactions, highlighting their significance in the development of versatile acetylene catalytic transformations.