Acetylenes undergo the [4 + 2] cycloaddition to 3,6-di(pyrrol-2-yl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine in the potassium hydroxide/dimethyl sulfoxide or potassium tert-butoxide/dimethyl sulfoxide systems (80 8C, 2.5-4 h) to afford (after extrusion of the nitrogen molecule from the intermediate) 3,6-di(pyrrol-2-yl)pyridazines in up to 73% yield, while under non-catalytic conditions this reaction does not take place. This unusual result substantially extends the scope of synthetic application and mechanistic diversity of the Diels-Alder reaction. The step-wise mechanisms involving the formation of [OH/tetrazine] À or [t-BuO/tetrazine] À anionic intermediate complexes or cycloaddition of tetrazine to the acetylide anion are considered.