The hydrometalation reaction of an alkynyl group is a valuable process, not only for functionalized alkene synthesis but also for alkenyl metal preparations.[1] Among the numerous variants of this class of reaction, hydroalumination of propargylic alcohols is especially well utilized in many facets of organic synthesis owing to its promising chemo-and stereoselectivity [Eq. (1); L = ligand, E = electrophile]. [2,3] Herein, we report a noticeable accelerating effect of a gsilyl substituent on the hydroalumination reaction, an effect that can substantially enhance the synthetic utility of this classical transformation. By proper choice of the silyl group, highly group-selective functionalization in polyalkynyl alcohols A has been accomplished by overcoming the steric influences, to provide valuable multifunctionalized alcohols B through hydroalumination and also carbolithiation [Eq. (2)].We have found this unprecedented silyl effect during the course of our synthetic study of zaragozic acid A.[4] As one of the key steps in this total synthesis, we faced the problem of group-selective functionalization of intermediate 1, which has three alkynyl groups on C4 and C5 [Eq. (3); Bn = benzyl, TBDPS = tert-butyldiphenylsilyl, TBS = tert-butyldimethylsilyl, TMS = trimethylsilyl]. Surprisingly enough, hydroalumination of alcohol 1 with sodium bis(2-methoxyethoxy) aluminum hydride (Red-Al) provides vinylsilane 2 exclusively. [5] Our purpose for the total synthesis was achieved by this group-selective transformation; however, a question that immediately arose was why the reaction preferentially occurred at the alkyne substituted with the bulkier TBDPS group, rather than one substituted with the less bulky TMS group.[6] At an earlier stage, we suspected an influence of the multiple oxy functionalities on 1 to be the origin of the peculiar selectivity; these functionalities may exert chelation control on the aluminum reagent.[7] Thus, in order to eliminate this confusing factor, we examined a competitive hydroalumination in a series of simplified 1,1-bis(alkynyl) alcohols 3 bearing TBDPS and TMS groups at the g and g' positions (Table 1).The reaction of sec-alcohol 3 a (R = H) with Red-Al in toluene at 0 8C provides vinylsilane (E)-4 a (95 %) predominantly, along with a trace amount of (E)-5 a (3 %; TBDPS side/TMS side 97:3; Table 1, entry 1).[8] Similar selectivity was [a]