Why can't terminal alkynes take part in Birch reduction? According to my book terminal alkynes are not observed in Birch reduction.Why is this so? The only property I know about them is that they are slightly acidic. Does this have something to do with it? Please help me understand this.
The alkyne proton is acidic enough to react with the dissolving metal to give the anion, giving the metal alkynide as it shown by these procedures sodium acetylide prep,  sodium phenylacetylide prep; this does not reduce.