Symmetric diarylacetylenes: one-pot syntheses and solution photoluminescence

Bis(tri-n-butylstannyl)acetylene was synthesized and used to create a series of symmetric diarylacetylenes via a one-step Stille coupling protocol with Pd(PPh3)4 as the catalyst. In many cases, the product simply crystallized in good yields from the reaction mixture upon cooling after reflux at 100 °C or upon removal of solvent. The diarylacetylenes were studied using UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopies, which showed that naphthyl- and biphenyl-substituted acetylenes had very high solution-state fluorescence quantum yields.