Keywords: Alkynes / Cobalt / Cyclopentadienyl ligands / N ligandsThe electron-rich aminoacetylenes Et 2 NC 2 R (2a-c, R = SPh, PPh 2 , and Ph, respectively) react smoothly with [η 2 -bis(tertbutylsulfonyl)acetylene](carbonyl)(η 5 -cyclopentadienyl)cobalt (1) to form the donor-acceptor stabilized (η 4 -cyclobutadiene)cobalt complexes 3a-c in good yields. However, treatment of the electron-poor borylacetylenes 2d-f with the cobalt complex 1 does not lead to the expected (η 4 -cyclobutadiene)cobalt complexes. Analogously, the reaction of bis(1-