Improved synthesis of tertiary propargyl alcohols by the Favorskii reaction of alkyl aryl (hetaryl) ketones with acetylene

Alkyl aryl (hetaryl) ketones react with acetylene under atmospheric pressure in the superbasic system KOH-EtOH-H2O-DMSO at 10–15°C (2 h) to give the corresponding tertiary propargyl alcohols in up to 91% yield. The procedure requires no large excess of KOH and low-boiling inflammable solvents, produces few wastes, and is safe and convenient on the laboratory scale; there are no limitations for its large-scale application.