1,1-Insertion of substituted alkynes into the Ir-O bond of η2-carboxylato iridium complexes

[Ir(CH3)(CO)(η2-O2CR′)L2]+ (R′ = CH3, Ph, p-C6H4CH3; L = PPh3) react with RCCH (R = Ph, p-C6H4CH3) in the presence of NEt3 to give Ir(C(O)CH3)(-CCR)(η2-O2CR′)L2 which further react with RCCH to give cis-bis(alkynyl)-iridium Ir(CH3)(CO)(CCR)2L2. cis-Bis(alkynyl)-η2-acetato-iridium Ir(CCR)2(η2-O2CCH3)L2 obtained from reactions of Ir(CHCH2)2(η2-O2CCH3)L2 and (η2-O2CCH3)L2 with RCCH undergo the 1,1-insertion reaction of RCCH into the Ir-O bond to produce iridacycles (C  CR)2L2.