TI in which R'is a phenyl group and R and R" are t-butyl groups. Some interesting rearrangements were observed in the reactions which were used in the synthesis of the desired ethane and these seem to offer some clues as to the nature of the rearrangements of the polyynes themselves. Phenyl-t-butyl-t-butylethynylbromomethane (111) was synt. hesized by the series of reactions