Sodium hydride, reaction with phosphonium salts

The overall sequence of three steps may be called the Wittig reaction, or only the final step. Phosphonium salts are also prepared by addition of phosphines to Michael alkenes (hke 15-8) and in other ways. The phosphonium salts are most often converted to the ylids by treatment with a strong base such as butyllithium, sodium amide, sodium hydride, or a sodium alkoxide, though weaker bases can be used if... 

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). 

So, here is a typical Wittig reaction it starts with a phosphonium salt, which is treated with sodium hydride, and then with a carbonyl compound the alkene forms in 85% yield. 

Sodium hydride itself, not only its reaction product with DMSO, is also suitable for deprotonation of phosphonium salts and preference has been given to this base over sodium ethoxide. ... 

The reaction of all-/ra/i5-/ -ionylideneacetaldehyde with the phosphonium salt (79), using sodium hydride as base, gave a mixture of furanones as shown. ... 

A variation of the Wittig reaction that can overcome problems with the stereochemical outcome is the Homer-Wittig reaction with phosphine oxides. The oxides are obtained by quatemization of triphenylphosphine and hydrolysis of the phosphonium salt, or by reaction of hthiodiphenylphosphide with an alkyl halide or sulfonate and oxidation of the resulting phosphine with hydrogen peroxide. The derived hthio species react with aldehydes or ketones to give p-hydroxy phosphine oxides, which ehminate on treatment with a base such as sodium hydride or potassium hydroxide to form the alkene. In common with the Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction, the phosphorus by-product is water soluble and easily removed from the product. 

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