Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of E-α,β-Uksaturated Nitriles from Diphenyl Cyanomethyl Phcsphine Oxide.

Abstract

The Wittig-Horner reaction from diethyl cyanomethyl phosphonate 1a and aldehydes is seldom highly stereoselective¹. The use of diiscpropyl cyanomethyl phosphonate 1b has been recently proposed to improve the stereoselectivity of the reaction towards the E-α, β- unsatured nitriles 2E².