Amino acid-derived propargylic amides are cyclised in a one-pot, Au(III)-catalysed operation to yield 5-bromomethyl oxazoles. These compounds are further elaborated to bis-heterocycles, dipeptide mimics and more.

An efficient and simple methodology was developed for the synthesis of oxazolidinones, oxazolidinthiones, imidazolidinthiones, and imidazolidinones from the corresponding propargylic starting materials using Pd(OAc)2 and n-Bu4NOAc as catalysts in DCE at room temperature.

The electronic structure of nitrilimine HCNNH is shown to essentially be propargylic by CASSCF and Spin-Coupled (modern VB) calculations; in contrast to a recent claim, the carbenic resonance form is absent.

A short stereoselective synthesis of (+)-(6R,2'S)-cryptocaryalactone was successfully completed. Key steps included the application of Carreira's asymmetric alkynylation reaction to form a propargylic alcohol and subsequently lactone formation using the powerful ring-closing metathesis reaction.

Palladium-catalyzed highly regio- and stereoselective 6-exo-dig and 7-endo-dig cyclization of functionalized propargylic compounds has been developed for the synthesis of (E)-4-(isobenzofuran-1(3H)-ylidene)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines and aze/oxepinoindoles.

A highly efficient CuBr-catalyzed coupling of ketones, amines and alkynes (KA(2)) forming propargylic amines bearing a quaternary carbon center with the broadest scope so far has been developed.

The first highly diastereo- and enantioselective propargylic alkylation of acyclic ketone enamines to form vicinal tertiary stereocenters has been reported by employing copper catalysis in combination with a bulky and structurally rigid tridentate ketimine P,N,N-ligand.