The Pd0/Cu1 catalyzed cross-coupling of terminal alkynes onto peptide nucleic acid monomers or submonomers bearing iodinated nucleobases has been utilized as a route to base-modified oligomers. Both 5-iodouracil and 5-iodocytosine derivatives undergo the cross-coupling to give the expected products in moderate to good yields. However, depending on the particular substrates and reaction conditions, the cross-coupling may be followed by a ring closing reaction to give the fluorescent furano- and pyrrolo-fused uracil and cytosine derivatives, respectively.