Stabilized lithium acetylide and reactions therewith

In a process for the preparation of ethynyl carbinols of the formula:

• ##STR6## wherein R" is hydrogen or lower alkyl, R"' is hydrogen, alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic, alicyclic or monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon or R" and R"' together to the carbon atom to which they are joined represent a steroid, which comprises the steps of
• A. reacting in a solvent system at least one lithium alkylamide selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR7## wherein R is a hydrogen or lower alkyl, R' is hydrogen, lower alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic, alicyclic or monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, x is an integer of 2 to 8, y and z are each 0 to 1, with acetylene to form a monolithium acetylide
• B. reacting in a solvent system the monolithium acetylene from Part A with a ketone of the formula R"R"' C.dbd.O, wherein R" and R"' are as hereinbefore defined, and then
• C. hydrolysing the reaction product of Part B to form the corresponding ethynyl carbinol compound, the improvement comprising the solvent system in Parts B comprises a moncyclic aromatic solvent in an amount sufficient to solubilize said lithium alkylamide and to effect a stable solution.