Both alkylarylalkynes and diarylalkynes 1 are converted into the α-diketones 2 in good yield by the use of mercuric salts, e.g., mercuric nitrate hydrate or mercuric triflate, in the presence of water. Other mercuric salts, e.g., sulfate, chloride, acetate, or trifluoroacetate, do not provide the diketone product. A possible mechanism is proposed.

Oxovanadium(v)-induced dl-selective oxidative coupling of (Z)-boron enolate was demonstrated to give the corresponding 2,3-disubstituted 1,4-diketone in a good yield. High selectivity (up to 94 : 6) was attained when the reaction was performed with VO(OPr-i)2Cl at -30 °C.

A carbazole-based triple bridging ligand (LH) consisting of two imidazole moieties at 3,6 positions with a diketone unit at the carbazole nitrogen forms carbazole-bridged zinc(II) complexes with structures of [(L(-))4(Zn(2+))n] (n = 2-6), where the strength of aromatic stacking interactions between the carbazole rings increases with an increase in the number of Zn(2+) ions bridged by the imidaz...

The pathway for the combination of enones and beta-S-substituted aldehydes using Rh-catalysis can be switched between a hydroacylation reaction or a reductive aldol reaction by simple choice of the phosphine ligand; this catalyst controlled switch allows access to new ketone hydroacylation products; useful 1,4-diketone intermediates for the synthesis of N-, S- and O-heterocycles.