Abstract
Ethoxycarbonylmethylenetriphenylphosphorane (2) reacts with 5-formyl-1,3,6-trimethyluracil (1c) in the expected way to afford the acrylate 3c, while with 5-formyl-1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid (1b) a novel phosphorus ylide/phosphorane 4 is obtained (X-ray analysis). The temperature dependent NMR spectra and the mechanism of formation are discussed.