Alkylidenephosphoranes phosphonium salts

The reaction of the phosphonium salts 28, generated from the -halogencarboxylic esters 26, with sodium ethoxide in DMF or sodium hydride in DMSO yields the phosphoranes 29 which, on treatment with aldehydes 30, are converted into (Z)-alkenoic esters 31 49,51 53). To synthesize As-unsaturated acids and higher homologous acids of type 31 (m 11) Bergelson et al. 49,54) olefinated ethyl co-formyl-alkanoates 34, obtained from co-iodoalkanoic esters 32, with alkylidenephosphoranes 35 to the ethyl esters 31 (Scheme 7). 

By this method (Z)-monounsaturated fatty acids and esters could be obtained with an ( )-isomer content of less than 10% this stereoselectivity being however inferior to that of the commonly used acetylenic approach 55,56). However, the salt-free techniques used today in Wittig reactions allow (Z)-alkenoic acids to be synthesized with less than 2% of the ( )-isomers. Thus, Bestmann et al. prepared methyl and ethyl esters of (Z)-4,5,6,7,8,9,ll- and 13-alkenoic acids of different chain lengths 35,57 62), which served as intermediates in the synthesis of insect pheromones, both by reaction of co-alkoxycarbonyl-substituted alkyl-triphenyl-phosphonium salts with simple alkanals and of co-formylalkanoic esters with alkylidenephosphoranes. As the starting material for the synthesis of -substituted alkyl-phosphonium salts co-chloro- and -bromocarboxylic esters were used. The corresponding -substituted aldehydes can usually be obtained by ozone cleavage of suitable olefin derivatives or by oxidation of alkohols 57,58). 

The Wittig reaction proceeds more rapidly in dimethyl sulfoxide than in other customary solvents due to the enhanced deprotonation of the phosphonium salts to alkylidenephosphoranes [327]. Even camphor, a rather unreactive ketone, undergoes the Wittig reaction easily in base/CH3SOCH3 systems [327]. 

In the reaction of OH-, NH-, SH- and CH-acidic compounds with phosphacumulene ylides the anion Nu of the initially formed phosphonium salt (c/. equation 101) is so nucleophilic, that addition of the anion to give a new alkylidenephosphorane is faster than cycloaddition of a second mole of starting ylide (equation 105). ° ... 

Stepwise deprotonation of methylenebis(triorgano)phosphonium salts with bases yields carbodiphosphoranes via intermediate semi-ylide salts, which may also be accessible by alkylation or phosphinol-ation of corresponding alkylidenephosphoranes (equation 118). " It depends on the starting phosphonium salt and the base whether the intermediate ylide salts can be isolated or not. Suitable bases are sodium amide, alkali metal hydrides, alkylidenetrialkylphosphoranes, potassium and lithium orga-nyls. For the synthesis of hexaphenylcarbodiphosphorane improved methods have been reported by which this compound may be generate without isolation of the ylide salt and on a large scale. 

Ring closure with bis(alkylidenephosphoranes) via bi(phosphonium salts)... 

Many alkylidenephosphoranes can be transformed into new phosphonium ylides by reactions which take place in the side chain of a parent ylide, the a-C atom of the ylide group not being involved. Allylidenetriphenylphosphoranes react with a series of chloro compounds (alkyl chloioformates, acyl chlorides, 3-chloroacrylates, 2-chlorovinyl ketones, phosphorus chlorides) and other electrophilic compounds at the 7-C atom. Abstraction of a proton from the 7-position of the resulting phosphonium salts by a second mole of starting ylide (or proton migration) gives rise to the formation of -substituted derivatives of the original allylidenephosphoranes (equation 90). 

Stepwise deprotonation of methylenebis(triorgano)phosphonium salts with bases yields caibodiphos-phoranes via intermediate semi-ylide salts, which may also be accessible by alkylation or phosphinol-ation of corresponding alkylidenephosphoranes (equation It depends on Ae starting... 

Acylation of alkylidenetriphenylphosphoranes by thiocarboxylic 5-ethyl esters 456 The reactions are carried out in a Schlenk tube, as above. To a boiling solution (which need not be filtered) of a salt-free alkylidenephosphorane (0.022 mole) in anhydrous toluene is added an 5-ethyl thiocarboxylate (0.02 mole), and the mixture is boiled for 18 h. The phosphonium thiolate, that is initially precipitated as an oil, gradually redissolves. If an unfiltered ylide solution was used, the reaction solution must be filtered hot at this stage to remove sodium... 

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