In the 1980s, we and others developed alkynyliodonium salts, RCCI+PhX– (X=OTs, OTf, BF4, etcetera), the newest member of the family of polyvalent organoiodine compounds, which may serve as electrophilic acetylene equivalents. This has engendered a renaissance in polyvalent organoiodine chemistry. Arguably, the most useful and widely employed contemporary polyvalent organoiodine compound is the I(V) Dess-Martin periodinane that has emerged as the reagent of choice for the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to aldehydes and ketones, respectively. Because of its ready availability; its convenience of use; its unique, selective oxidizing property; and, most importantly, its functional group tolerance, the Dess-Martin periodinane is widely employed in the synthesis of complex natural products of biological and medicinal interest