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The combination of zirconocene-mediated coupling of silylated alkynes with a protonation-desilylation or bromination-desilylation process afforded otherwise unavailable butadiene derivatives. When (E,E)-2,3-dialkyl-1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadienes were treated with 3 equiv of Br(2) in CH(2)Cl(2), (E)-2,3-dialkyl-1,1,4,4-tetrabromo-2-butenes were obtained in excellent yields with perfect stereoselectivity.

[reaction: see text] The titanium catalyst, which was generated in situ from titanocene dichloride and 2 equiv of butyllithium, was found to catalyze hydrosilation of a variety of alkynes with excellent regio- and syn-selectivity.