Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of bromoalkenes by homolytic hydrobromination of alkynes with hydrogen bromide

Homolytic hydrobromination of terminal and internal alkynes with a commercially available solution of hydrogen bromide in acetic acid has been investigated for regio- and stereoselective synthesis of bromoalkenes. Under an aerobic atmosphere at room temperature, the reaction of ethynylarenes with a small excess of HBr efficiently gave (2-bromoethenyl)arenes with good to high E-selectivity. (Alk-1-ynyl)arenes, or internal alkynes bearing both phenyl and alkyl groups at the sp-carbons also underwent the air-initiated hydrobromination to exhibit high Z-selectivity under kinetic conditions using a half equivalent of HBr.