Highly efficient and recyclable catalyst for the direct chlorination, bromination and iodination of terminal alkynes

•Versatile halogenation method for terminal alkynes is proposed.•39 successful examples vary from chlorination, bromination to iodination are presented, up to 99% yields.•Catalyst is recyclable, 99% yield achieved even after 5 runs.•Mild reaction conditions.

Direct halogenation, including chlorination, bromination and iodination of terminal alkynes, are of great importance in organic synthesis. Here an efficient and recyclable nano-Ag/g-C3N4 catalyst system was developed and proved to be remarkably active with 39 examples varied from chlorination, bromination to iodination, of which 14 runs have yielded more than 95% of the product. Recycling of the catalyst was also achieved without obvious activity loss after several runs: 99% yield was observed even after 5 runs in the bromination of phenylacetylene. The catalysts system is of low cost and easy to be prepared, making this procedure versatile, convenient and economic.

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