Phenylacetylene is an alkyne hydrocarbon containing a phenyl group. It exists as a colorless, viscous liquid. In research, it is sometimes used as an analog for acetylene; being a liquid, it is easier to handle than acetylene gas.
Phenylacetylene is a prototypical terminal acetylene, undergoing many reactions expected of that functional group. It undergoes semihydrogenation over Lindlar catalyst to give styrene. In the presence of base and copper(II) salts, it undergoes oxidative coupling to give diphenylbutadiyne.[6] In the presence of metal catalysts, it undergoes oligomerization, trimerization, and even polymerization.[7][8]
In the presence of gold or mercury reagents, phenylacetylene hydrates to give acetophenone:
^Streitwieser, A. Jr.; Ruben, D.M.E (1971). "Acidity of hydrocarbons. XXXV. Equilibrium acidities of phenylacetylene and tert-butylacetylene in cyclohexylamine". J. Am. Chem. Soc. 93: 1794–1795. doi:10.1021/ja00736a045.
^Campbell, I. D.; Eglinton, G. (1965). "Diphenyldiacetylene". Organic Syntheses. 45: 39. doi:10.15227/orgsyn.045.0039.
^Gerhard Hilt; Thomas Vogler; Wilfried Hess; Fabrizio Galbiati (2005). "A simple cobalt catalyst system for the efficient and regioselective cyclotrimerisation of alkynes". Chemical Communications. 2005 (11): 1474–1475. doi:10.1039/b417832g. PMID15756340.