A copper-catalyzed reaction of terminal alkynes with cyanogen iodide (ICN) that produces alkynyl cyanides has been developed. The use of tetramethylpiperidine as a sterically congested base was successful in this reaction. Some control experiments revealed that the reaction involves the noncatalyzed formation of alkynyl iodides followed by copper-catalyzed cyanation of the iodides without the formation of copper(I) acetylide. This observation contrasts with what is normally observed in various copper-mediated reactions using terminal alkynes.