Acetylene in Organic Synthesis. From the Chaos of Small Molecules to Highly Organized Structures. A Review

The review highlights the recently discovered superbase-promoted self-organization of complex molecular structures of great synthetic significance with the participation of acetylene (a large-tonnage industrial feedstock) and simple available nucleophilic molecules. The self-organization comprises a concerted sequence of elementary chemical stages involving several molecules of acetylene, which ultimately leads to a one-pot synthesis of complex highly reactive molecular systems structurally close to essential natural compounds. This new phenomenon in organic chemistry fundamentally expands the possibilities of acetylene-driven fine organic synthesis and meets the requirements of green chemistry (one pot, atom and energy economy, theoretical waste-free production, low carbon footprint).