Isolation and Characterisation of All Four Diastereomeric Intermediates from a Horner-Wittig Reaction

Abstract

The Horner-Wittig reaction between diphenyl(2-phenylpropyl)phosphine oxide and 1-naphtaldehyde affords an equal mixture of the cis and trans isomers even though the formation of the initial adduct is selective.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Horner-Wittig
• alkene
• mechanism

Acknowledgments

We thank Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for financial support.