One‐Pot Hydrosilylation—Protodesilylation of Functionalized Diarylalkynes: A Highly Selective Access to (Z)‐Stilbenes. Application to the Synthesis of Combretastatin A‐4.

— An efficient stereoselective synthesis of Z -stilbenes has been developed from diarylalkynes via a new hydrosilylation- protodesilylation process. Scope and limitation of this method to prepare stereoselectively a wide range of (Z)-stilbenes in a one-pot way is presented. A concise application to the preparation of combretastatin A-4 ( CA-4 ), a vascular targeting agent inhibitor of tubulin polymerisation is described.