烯烃与炔烃，是现代合成化学的重要基石，研究与应用价值巨大。我国科学家借助一种具有特殊活性的试剂，攻克了百余年来烯烃制备炔烃的国际性难题，为结构多样性炔烃的快速获取及新药研发奠定了基础。

Alkenes and alkynes are crucial building blocks in modern synthetic chemistry, with significant research and application value. Chinese scientists, by using a special active reagent, have overcome the international challenge of synthesizing alkynes from alkenes over the past century, laying the foundation for the rapid acquisition of structurally diverse alkynes and the development of new drugs.

该成果17日凌晨在线刊载于国际权威期刊《自然》。

The achievement was published online in the internationally renowned journal *Nature* in the early hours of the 17th.

烯烃因来源丰富、成本低廉，被广泛应用，炔烃却种类有限、价格高昂。如何将廉价烯烃高效转化为炔烃，是科学界持续关注的焦点问题。然而，由烯烃合成炔烃的传统方法需高温强碱，反应条件苛刻，适用范围狭窄，严重制约了炔烃应用及行业发展。长期以来，化学界持续攻关，却始终未能找到温和实用的替代方案。

Alkenes are widely used due to their abundant sources and low costs, while alkynes have limited varieties and high prices. How to efficiently convert inexpensive alkenes into alkynes has been a focus of scientific attention. However, the traditional methods for synthesizing alkynes from alkenes require high temperatures and strong bases, with harsh reaction conditions and a narrow application range, which severely restricts the application and development of alkynes. For a long time, the chemical community has been continuously working on it, but they have still not found a mild and practical alternative solution.

  北京大学药学院、北京大学天然药物及仿生药物全国重点实验室焦宁教授团队，摒弃了传统方法中使用的卤素，结合催化性能研究，发现含硒杂环分子——硒蒽，具备独特结构与优异活性，可在弱碱、温和条件下高效驱动烯烃向炔烃的转化。

The research team led by Professor Jiao Ning from the School of Pharmacy of Peking University and the National Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Biomimetic Drugs of Peking University, after abandoning the halogen compounds used in traditional methods and conducting catalytic performance research, discovered the selenium-containing heterocyclic molecule - selenant, which has a unique structure and excellent activity. It can efficiently drive the conversion of alkenes to alkynes under weak alkaline and mild conditions.

  据悉，这类分子问世百余年以来，鲜有研究将其应用于合成反应之中。研究团队发现，硒蒽参与的烯烃制备炔烃反应条件温和，可兼容多种敏感官能团并实现复杂分子修饰。同时，硒蒽制备方法简单，稳定易储存且可回收循环使用。

It is known that for over a hundred years since the discovery of these molecules, there have been few studies applying them to synthetic reactions. The research team found that the reaction involving selenium anthraquinone for the preparation of alkyne from alkenes has mild conditions, is compatible with various sensitive functional groups, and enables complex molecular modification. At the same time, the preparation method of selenium anthraquinone is simple, stable, easy to store, and can be recycled and reused.

  “我们以丰富多样的商品化烯烃与天然来源的烯烃为结构模板，成功获取了高价值的炔烃。”焦宁表示，此项研究不仅拓宽了炔烃的合成路径，还有望优化部分精细化学品的供给结构，降低对复杂合成路径的依赖，为医药、农药、材料等领域提供更丰富、更具经济性的炔烃来源。

"We used a variety of commercialized olefins and natural-origin olefins as structural templates to successfully obtain high-value alkynes," said Jiao Ning. This research not only broadened the synthetic pathways of alkynes, but also has the potential to optimize the supply structure of some fine chemicals, reduce reliance on complex synthetic routes, and provide richer and more economically viable sources of alkynes for the pharmaceutical, pesticide, and materials industries.