Iron/copper promoted oxidative homo-coupling reaction of terminal alkynes using air as the oxidant

An inexpensive catalytic system, which used a readily available Fe(acac)3 and trace quantity of Cu(acac)2 as the co-catalyst and air as the oxidant for the homo-coupling of terminal alkynes, has been developed. The catalytic system could also apply to the cross-coupling reaction of two different terminal alkynes.