It has been shown that catalytic amounts of tris (triphenylphosphine) chlororhodium (I), RhCl (PPh3) 3, in benzene, dichloromethane, or chloroform solution will convert monosubstituted α-hydroxyacetylenes predominantly into the dimers. In this way 3-methylbut-1-yn-3-ol yields 2, 7-dimethyloct-3-en-5-yne-2, 7-diol; by analogy dimers were obtained from 3-methylpent-1- yn-3-ol, but-1-yn-3-ol, and 1-ethynylcyclohexan-1-ol. Although phenylacetylene gives ...
