Transition metal alkyne complexes are often formed by the displacement of labile ligands by the alkyne.  For example, a variety of cobalt-alkyne complexes arise by the reaction of alkynes with dicobalt octacarbonyl.
Many alkyne complexes are produced by reduction of metal halides:
: CpTiCl + Mg + MeSiC≡CSiMe → CpTi[(CSiMe)] + MgCl