The Renaissance of an Old Problem: Highly Regioselective Carboxylation of 2-Alkynyl Bromides with Carbon Dioxide.

A steric effect-controlled, zinc-mediated carboxylation of different 2-alkynyl bromides under an atmospheric pressure of CO2 has been developed by careful tuning of different reaction parameters, including the metal, solvent, temperature, and additive. 2-Substituted 2,3-allenoic acids were afforded from primary 2-alkynyl bromides, whereas the carboxylation of secondary 2-alkynyl bromides yielded 3-alkynoic acids in decent yields. A rationale for the observed regioselectivity has been proposed.