Abstract

This review focuses on a literature survey of the hydroarylation of alkynes via aryl C-H bond cleavage to prepare aryl-alkenes in the past thirty years. These efficient methods catalyzed by various metal complexes or protic acids are discussed respectively. Several reaction paths involved in these hydroarylations of alkynes are emphasized, which are aryl C-H activation by transition metals, formation of metal vinylidenes and Friedel-Crafts type process. In addition, some applications of these methods in organic synthesis are also introduced.