IntroductionBoth alkynes and alkenes are compounds having at least one π -electron bond. Therefore, in these compounds, reactions such as the addition of hydrogen, the addition of halogens, the addition of hydrogen halides, metathesis, oxidation and polymerization, proceed in the presence of metal compounds.However, alkynes have another set of π -electron bonds. These two sets of π -electron bonds in alkynes are mutually orthogonal. Hence, the reactions of alkynes in the presence of the metal compounds are different from the reactions of alkenes.As described in the next section, the two sets of mutually orthogonal π -electron bonds tend to easily bond with d-electrons in transition metals. Consequently, the characteristic reactions of alkynes occur in the presence of the transition metals. In these transition metal compounds, especially, a Co-Co bond in (CO) 4 Co-Co(CO) 4 , very easily form a mutually bridged bond with the two sets of π -electron bonds in alkynes. These reactions of alkynes with alkenes in the presence of Co 2 (CO) 8 are the most characteristic reactions of alkynes with the transition metals in organic synthesis.This first type of characteristic reaction of alkynes with organocobalt compounds is the Pauson-Khand reactions. Reactions that are similar to the Pauson-Khand reactions, Pauson-Khand-type reactions, occur in the presence of the other transition metal compounds besides the cobalt carbonyl compounds, and also proceed as the first type of characteristic reactions. The Pauson-Khand reactions and Pauson-Khand-type reactions are the reactions of alkynes, alkenes and carbon monoxide. In these three components, alkynes and carbon monoxide have two sets of π -electron bonds and alkenes have one set of π -electron bond. These reactions are also called as the [2 + 2 + 1] cyclizations.The second type of characteristic reactions of alkynes with the transition metal compounds is other cyclizations in which alkynes react with compounds having π -electron bonds such as other alkynes, alkenes, allenes, aldehydes, ketones, imines, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitriles. These reactions are cyclooligomerizations and cycloadditions.The third type of characteristic reaction of alkynes in the presence of the metal compounds is coupling reactions in which the negative charge of the carbon atom in alkynes is involved in addition to the high reactivity to the π -electron bond. The reactions are carbonylations, dioxycarbonylations, coupling reactions with aldehydes, ketones, imines, alkenes, allyl compounds, alkynes, other oxygen-containing compounds or nitrogen-containing compounds, Sonogashira reactions and other coupling reactions.The characteristic reactions of alkynes with organocobalt compounds in organic synthesis have been reported in a previous review article. [1] This present review reports mainly on three characteristic reactions of alkynes with the metal compounds in organic synthesis, excluding the organocobalt compounds. * Correspondence to : Iwao Omae, Nihon Pharmaceutical University, 10281 ...