“…The advent of novel synthetic methodology tailored towards the construction of the alkyne moiety, combined with the use of organotransition metal complexes for carbon-carbon bond formation [2], has revolutionized the assembly of acetylene-containing systems. In particular, recent advances in Pd-mediated cross-coupling reactions have allowed for the production of phenylacetylene derivatives from an alkyne sp-carbon atom and an sp 2 center either of an arene or of an alkene [3], while the construction of a butadiyne moiety through homo-or heterocoupling of terminal acetylene units has become routine practice in the laboratory [4]. Consequently, the assembly of novel acetylene-containing compounds, including alkyne-rich macrocycles, previously a laborious process, can now be accomplished with relative ease.…”