How important are oxidation reactions for alkynes, in some outside of class resources they are brought up from time to time, and do they usually just result in carboxylic acids? Thanks. (In most cases, oxidation cleaves the triple bond and converts both carbons to carboxy-groups. However, proper reagents may oxidize terminal alkynes to polyynes significant for pharmaceutical field and for astrochemistry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyyne  Also, combustion of alkynes provides temperatures unavailable from combustion of alkanes and alkenes.- GS).