The Pauson–Khand reaction (or PKR or PK-type reaction) is a chemical reaction

Chemical reaction

A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. Chemical reactions can be either spontaneous, requiring no input of energy, or non-spontaneous, typically following the input of some type of energy, such as heat, light or electricity...

 described as a [2+2+1] cycloaddition

Cycloaddition

A cycloaddition is a pericyclic chemical reaction, in which "two or more unsaturated molecules combine with the formation of a cyclic adduct in which there is a net reduction of the bond multiplicity." The resulting reaction is a cyclization reaction.Cycloadditions are usually described by the...

 between an alkyne

Alkyne

Alkynes are hydrocarbons that have a triple bond between two carbon atoms, with the formula CnH2n-2. Alkynes are traditionally known as acetylenes, although the name acetylene also refers specifically to C2H2, known formally as ethyne using IUPAC nomenclature...

, an alkene

Alkene

In organic chemistry, an alkene, olefin, or olefine is an unsaturated chemical compound containing at least one carbon-to-carbon double bond...

 and carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...

 to form a α,β-cyclopentenone

Cyclopentenone

Cyclopentenone is a hydrocarbon with chemical formula 56 and CAS number 930-30-3. It is structurally similar to cyclopentanone, with the additional feature of α-β unsaturation in the ring system. Cyclopentenone belongs to the cycloalkene class of compounds and is also a ketone...

. This reaction was originally mediated by stoichiometric amounts of dicobalt octacarbonyl

Dicobalt octacarbonyl

Dicobalt octacarbonyl is the inorganic compound Co28. This metal carbonyl is a reagent and catalyst in organometallic chemistry and organic synthesis. It is used as a catalyst for hydroformylation, the conversion of alkenes to aldehydes....

, but this has since been replaced by newer and more efficient catalyst systems.
With asymmetrical alkenes or alkynes regioselectivity

Regioselectivity

In chemistry, regioselectivity is the preference of one direction of chemical bond making or breaking over all other possible directions. It can often apply to which of many possible positions a reagent will affect, such as which proton a strong base will abstract from an organic molecule, or where...

 is always an issue, but less so with intramolecular

Intramolecular

Intramolecular in chemistry describes a process or characteristic limited within the structure of a single molecule, a property or phenomenon limited to the extent of a single molecule.- Examples :...

 reactions .
The reaction works with both terminal and internal alkynes although internal alkynes tend to give lower yields. The order of reactivity for the alkene is strained cyclic alkene > terminal alkene > disubstituted alkene > trisubstituted alkene. Unsuitable alkenes are tetrasubstituted alkenes and alkenes with strongly electron withdrawing groups.

Variations

Wilkinson's catalyst

Wilkinson's catalyst

Wilkinson's catalyst is the common name for chlorotrisrhodium, a coordination compound with the formula RhCl3 . It is named after the late organometallic chemist and 1973 Nobel Laureate, Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson who popularized its use.-Structure and basic properties:The compound is a square planar,...

, based on the transition metal

Transition metal

The term transition metal has two possible meanings:*The IUPAC definition states that a transition metal is "an element whose atom has an incomplete d sub-shell, or which can give rise to cations with an incomplete d sub-shell." Group 12 elements are not transition metals in this definition.*Some...

 rhodium

Rhodium

Rhodium is a chemical element that is a rare, silvery-white, hard and chemically inert transition metal and a member of the platinum group. It has the chemical symbol Rh and atomic number 45. It is composed of only one isotope, 103Rh. Naturally occurring rhodium is found as the free metal, alloyed...

, also effectively catalyses PK reactions but requires silver triflate as a co-catalyst .
Molybdenum hexacarbonyl

Molybdenum hexacarbonyl

Molybdenum hexacarbonyl is the chemical compound with the formula Mo6. This colorless solid, like its chromium and tungsten analogues, is noteworthy as a volatile, air-stable derivative of a metal in its zero oxidation state.-Structure and properties:Mo6 adopts an octahedral geometry consisting...

 is a carbon monoxide donor in PK-type reactions between allene

Allene

An allene is a compound in which one carbon atom has double bonds with each of its two adjacent carbon centres. Allenes are classified as polyenes with cumulated dienes. The parent compound of allene is propadiene. Compounds with an allene-type structure but with more than three carbon atoms are...

s and alkyne

Alkyne

Alkynes are hydrocarbons that have a triple bond between two carbon atoms, with the formula CnH2n-2. Alkynes are traditionally known as acetylenes, although the name acetylene also refers specifically to C2H2, known formally as ethyne using IUPAC nomenclature...

s with dimethyl sulfoxide

Dimethyl sulfoxide

Dimethyl sulfoxide is an organosulfur compound with the formula 2SO. This colorless liquid is an important polar aprotic solvent that dissolves both polar and nonpolar compounds and is miscible in a wide range of organic solvents as well as water...

 in toluene .
Cyclobutadiene

Cyclobutadiene

Cyclobutadiene is the smallest [n]-annulene , an extremely unstable hydrocarbon having a lifetime shorter than five seconds in the free state. It has chemical formula 44 and a rectangular structure verified by infrared studies. This is in contrast to the square geometry predicted by simple Hückel...

 also lends itself to a [2+2+1] cycloaddition although this reactant is generated in situ from decomplexation of stable cyclobutadiene iron tricarbonyl with CAN.