Ylides, phosphorus

The Wittig reaction is carried out in an alkaline or virtually neutral medium, generally under mild conditions. It is therefore an excellent method for the synthesis of sensitive products numerous functional groups, such as acetals, epoxides, esters, nitriles and halogens, are unaffected when suitable reaction conditions are selected (see Section F). 

The principal disadvantage of the Wittig reaction is its sensitivity to steric hindrance. The yields of trisubstituted olefins are frequently low and the method generally fails in the synthesis of tetrasubstituted olefins. It can also be difficult to separate the olefin from triphenylphosphine oxide which is formed as a joint product. 

The (E/Zj-selectivity of the Wittig reaction is frequently difficult to predict, even though techniques to control the stereochemical course of the reaction have been developed (see Section C.2). In carotenoid synthesis, the stereoselectivity problem is of less importance isomerically pure preparations of the (all- )-product can frequently be obtained from an ( Zj-mixture by isomerization of the sterically hindered fZj-components and simultaneous crystallization (see Section F). 

Some of the disadvantages of the Wittig reaction can be overcome by use of the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction or, in brief, the Horner-Emmons reaction [6,14-16]. The modification of the Wittig process makes use of a phosphonate-stabilized carbanion instead of a phosphorus ylide it is discussed in Section E. 

The bis(methylene)phosphorans (Me3Si)2C=P(R)=C(SiMe3)2 (R = Mc2N, CeHn, Ph) were synthesized by Appel and coworkers in 1982. The compounds can be purified by vacuum distillation, but little about their reactions is known. A metallo-bis(methylene)phosphorane, CH2=P(LFe(CO)2=CH2, has also been synthesized.  

Gendek, G. Mloston, A. Linden and H. Heimgartner, Helv. Chim. Acta 85, 451 (2002). 

Fisera, R. Huisgen, I. Kalwinsch, E. Langhals, X. Li, G. Mloston, K. Polborn, J. Rapp, W. Sicking and R. Sustmann, Pure Appl. Chem. 68, 789 (1996). 

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The synthesis of vitamin Dj from a sensitive dienone was another etu-ly success of phosphorus ylide synthesis (H.H. Inhoffen, 1958 A). This Wittig reaction could be carried out without any isomerization of the diene. An excess of the ylide was needed presumably because the alkoxides formed from the hydroxy group in the educt removed some of the ylide. 

Carbanions stabilized by phosphorus and acyl substituents have also been frequently used in sophisticated cyclization reactions under mild reaction conditions. Perhaps the most spectacular case is the formation of an ylide from the >S-lactam given below using polymeric Hflnig base (diisopropylaminomethylated polystyrene) for removal of protons. The phosphorus ylide in hot toluene then underwent an intramolecular Wlttig reaction with an acetyl-thio group to yield the extremely acid-sensitive penicillin analogue (a penem I. Ernest, 1979). 

The phosphorus ylides of the Wittig reaction can be replaced by trimethylsilylmethyl-carbanions (Peterson reaction). These silylated carbanions add to carbonyl groups and can easily be eliminated with base to give olefins. The only by-products are volatile silanols. They are more easily removed than the phosphine oxides or phosphates of the more conventional Wittig or Homer reactions (D.J. Peterson, 1968). 

The Julia-Lythgoc olefination operates by addition of alkyl sulfone anions to carbonyl compounds and subsequent reductive deoxysulfonation (P. Kocienski, 1985). In comparison with the Wittig reaction, it has several advantages sulfones are often more readily available than phosphorus ylides, and it was often successful when the Wittig olefination failed. The elimination step yields exclusively or predominantly the more stable trans olefin stereoisomer. 

The Wittig reaction uses phosphorus ylides (called Wittig reagents) to convert aldehydes and ketones to alkenes... 

Phosphorus ylides are prepared from alkyl halides by a two step sequence The first step is a nucleophilic substitution of the 8 2 type by triphenylphosphme on an alkyl halide to give an alkyltriphenylphosphonium salt... 

The Wittig reaction (Sections 17 12-17 13) Reaction of a phosphorus ylide with aldehydes and ketones leads to the formation of an alkene A versa tile method for the regiospecific prepa ration of alkenes... 

The exploration of the chemistry of azirines has led to the discovery of several pyrrole syntheses. From a mechanistic viewpoint the simplest is based upon their ability to behave as a-amino ketone equivalents in reactions analogous to the Knorr pyrrole synthesis cf. Section 3.03.3.2.2), as illustrated in Schemes 91a and 91b for reactions with carbanions. Parallel reactions with enamines or a-keto phosphorus ylides can be effected with electron-deficient 2//-azirines (Scheme 91c). Conversely, electron-rich azirines react with electron deficient alkynes (Scheme 91d). 

Although widely applied in functional group modification in a variety of heterocyclic systems, phosphorus ylides have only been employed sparingly in heterocyclic ring construction with two or more heteroatoms in the nucleus. Their potential is shown in the applications illustrated below. 

An interesting application of a phosphorus ylide in heterocyclic synthesis is in a ring annulation. The diazopyrazole (592) when treated with various phosphorus ylides gave the 3//-pyrazolo[5,l-c][l,2,4]triazole derivatives (593) with elimination of triphenylphosphine (79TL1567). 

Ditluoromeihylenaiion reactions may be effected also by the addition of chlorodifluoromethanc to a solution of nonstabilized phosphorus ylide [45, 46] (equation 44) (Table 17)... 

Table 17. Reactions of Non-Stabilized Phosphorus Ylides 2 PhjP C with CHCIFi [46]...

Wittig reaction (Section 17.12) Method for the synthesis of alkenes by the reaction of an aldehyde or a ketone with a phosphorus ylide. 

Eacile approach to highly functionalized N-, 0-, and S-heterocycles using cascade syntheses with cumulated phosphorus ylides 98MI25. 

In addition there are certain other methods for the preparation such compounds. Upon heating of the thionocarbonate 2 with a trivalent phosphorus compound e.g. trimethyl phosphite, a -elimination reaction takes place to yield the olefin 3. A nucleophilic addition of the phosphorus to sulfur leads to the zwitterionic species 6, which is likely to react to the phosphorus ylide 7 via cyclization and subsequent desulfurization. An alternative pathway for the formation of 7 via a 2-carbena-l,3-dioxolane 8 has been formulated. From the ylide 7 the olefin 3 is formed stereospecifically by a concerted 1,3-dipolar cycloreversion (see 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition), together with the unstable phosphorus compound 9, which decomposes into carbon dioxide and R3P. The latter is finally obtained as R3PS ... 

The reaction of an alkylidene phosphorane 1 (i.e. a phosphorus ylide) with an aldehyde or ketone 2 to yield an alkene 3 (i.e. an olefin) and a phosphine oxide 4, is called the Wittig reaction or Wittig olefination reaction. ... 

Phosphorus ylides like 1 can be prepared by various routes. The most common route is the reaction of triphenylphosphine 5 with an alkyl halide 6 to give a triphenylphosphonium salt 7, and treatment of that salt with a base to give the corresponding ylide 1 ... 

The reactivity of the phosphorus ylide 1 strongly depends on substituents R R. For preparative use R often is a phenyl group. When R or R is an electron-withdrawing group, the negative charge can be delocalized over several centers, and the reactivity at the ylide carbon is reduced. The reactivity of the carbonyl compound towards addition of the ylide increases with the electrophilic character of the C=0 group. R R are often both alkyl, or alkyl and aryl. 

The carbanionic deprotonated phosphonate thus obtained—e.g. 14—can be reacted with a carbonyl substrate 2 just like a phosphorus ylide. However... 

The ylides have been classified on the basis of the heteroalom covalently bonded to the carbanion. Accordingly, they can be differentiated into nitrogen ylide (Scheme 2), sulfur ylide Scheme 3, phosphorus ylide Scheme 4, arsenic ylide Scheme 5, antimony ylide (Scheme 6), bismuth ylide (Scheme 7) and thallium ylide (Scheme 8). 

The first important lead toward the application of ylides as an initiator came from the observations of Zweifel and Voelker [47] in 1972. In their experiment, these authors polymerized lactones or unsaturated compounds initiated by phosphorus ylides prepared directly from tertiary phosphines or similar compounds. 

In the Wittig reaction, a phosphorus ylide, R2C—P(C6H03, also called a phosphoreme and sometimes written in the resonance form R2C=P(C6H5)3, adds to an aldehyde or ketone to yield a dipolar intermediate called a betaine. (An ylide—pronounced ill-id—is a neutral, dipolar compound with adjacent plus and minus charges. A betaine—pronounced bay-ta-een—is a neutral, dipolar compound with nonadjacent charges.)... 

Nucleophilic Addition of Phosphorus Ylides The Wittig Reaction 721... 

Active Figure 19.13 MECHANISM The mechanism of the Wittig reaction between a phosphorus ylide and an aldehyde or ketone to yield an alkene. Sign in at www.thomsonedu.com fo see a simulation based on this figure and to take a short Quiz. 

O The nucleophilic carbon atom of the phosphorus ylide adds to the carbonyl group of a ketone or aldehyde to give an alkoxide ion intermediate. 

What carbonyl compound and what phosphorus ylide might you use to prepare 3-ethyl-2-pen tene ... 

An aldehyde or ketone reacts with a phosphorus ylide to yield an alkene in which the oxygen atom of the carbonyl reactant is replaced by the =0 2 of the ylide. Preparation of the phosphorus ylide itself usually involves reaction of a primary alkyl halide with triphenylphosphine, so the ylide is typically primary, RCH = P Ph)3-This means that the disubstituted alkene carbon in the product comes from the carbonyl reactant, while the monosubstituted alkene carbon comes from the ylicle. 

It) Addition of phosphorus ylides VVittig reaction (Section 19.11)... 

Retrosynthetic cleavage of the trans A8,9 disubstituted double bond in intermediate 11, the projected precursor of diketone 10, provides phosphorus ylide 12 and aldehyde 13 as potential precursors. In the forward sense, a Wittig reaction could conceivably achieve a convergent coupling of intermediates 12 and 13 with concomitant formation of the requisite trans C8-C9 olefin. Ordinarily, the union of a nonstabilized ylide, such as 12, with an aldehyde would be expected to afford an alkene with a cis geometry.8 Fortunately, however, the Schlosser modification of the Wittig reaction permits the construction of trans olefins from aldehydes and nonstabilized phosphorus ylides.9... 

It would be expected that a few straightforward steps could accomplish the transformation of alkyl bromide 14 into phosphorus ylide 12 (Scheme 2b). On the other hand, the evolution of 14 from substituted aromatic furan ring 15 may not be obvious. It is, in fact, conceivable that the action of ethylene glycol on substituted furan... 

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