Metal-Free Transfer Hydroiodination of C–C Multiple Bonds

The design and a gram-scale synthesis of a bench-stable cyclohexa-1,4-diene-based surrogate of gaseous hydrogen iodide are described. By initiation with a moderately strong Brønsted acid, hydrogen iodide is transferred from the surrogate onto C–C multiple bonds such as alkynes and allenes without the involvement of free hydrogen iodide. The surrogate fragments into toluene and ethylene, easy-to-remove volatile waste. This hydroiodination reaction avoids precarious handling of hydrogen iodide or hydroiodic acid. By this, a broad range of previously unknown or difficult-to-prepare vinyl iodides can be accessed in stereocontrolled fashion.