A decarboxylative coupling reaction with an alkynyl carboxylic acid and aryl iodides in the presence of a nickel catalyst was developed. When the reaction was conducted with NiCl2 (10 mol%), Xantphos (15 mol Mn (1.0 equiv), and Cs2CO3 (1.5 equiv), the desired diaryl alkynes were formed in moderated to good yields. Furthermore, this method does not produce the diyne, which is formed in the homocoupling of alkynyl carboxylic acids. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.