Here we describe a ruthenium-catalyzed regioselective hydrohalogenation reaction of alkynes under mild conditions. Commercially simple halogen sources such as KI, ZnBr2, and ZnCl2 were employed to achieve this transformation. Alkynes derived from bioactive molecules such as l-(−)-borneol, l-menthol, and estrone were also suitable for the transformation, demonstrating the potential synthetic value of
Electrophilic additions to acetylenes. V. Stereochemistry of the electrophilic addition of alkyl halides and hydrogen halides to phenyl-substituted acetylenes