Ruthenium-Catalyzed Regioselective Hydrohalogenation of Alkynes Mediated by Trimethylsilyl Triflate

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 this new reaction in organic synthesis.