Friedel-Crafts acetylation of diarylacetylenedicobalt hexacarbonyl proceeds readily and in high yield. Introduction of the first acetyl substituent is a very rapid process, but the second acetyl group is introduced more slowly. In all cases, para substitution was observed, presumably because of steric factors. Deactivation of aluminum chloride by its coordination at the newly formed ketone function caused some difficulties in some cases. Competition experiments showed diphenylacetylenedicobait hexacarbonyl to be somewhat less reactive toward CH3COCI-AICI3 than anisóle. The Co2(CO)6 unit serves as a protecting group for the C^C function; diarylacetylenes cannot be acetylated directly, but their Co2(CO)6 complexes can. Oxidation of the acetylated complex with ceric ammonium nitrate releases the acetylated acetylene in good yield.
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