A novel selective catalytic reduction method of tertiary phosphine oxides to the corresponding phosphines has been developed. Notably, the reaction proceeds smoothly with low catalyst loadings of 1–5 mol% even at low temperature (70 °C). Under the optimized conditions various phosphine oxides could be selectively reduced and the desired phosphines were usually obtained in excellent yields above 90%. Furthermore, we have developed a one‐pot reaction sequence for the preparation of valuable phosphine⋅borane adducts. Simple addition of BH3⋅THF subsequent to the reduction step gave the desired adducts in yields up to 99%.magnified image

The first base-free catalytic Wittig reaction utilizing readily available Bu3P (5 mol %) as an organocatalyst is reported. The initial Michael addition of the phosphine to a suitable acceptor substituted alkene ultimately results in the formation of an ylide which is subsequently converted with an aldehyde. The presented (1)H NMR studies actually reveal evidence for the Michael addition and proposed ylide formation. Under the optimized reaction conditions various maleates and fumarates were converted with aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic aldehydes to evaluate the scope and limitations of this unprecedented reaction. Notably, maleates and fumarates react in a stereoconvergent fashion. The corresponding products were obtained in up to 95% isolated yield and E/Z-selectivities up to 99:1.

A highly efficient catalyst system for base-free catalytic Wittig reactions has been developed and optimized. Initially, several potential (pre)catalysts as well as different silanes as reducing agents were screened. A system based on a readily available phosphine oxide as precatalyst and trimethoxy silane as reducing agent proved to be optimal. The effect of various Brønsted acidic additives was studied. Subsequently, the reaction conditions were optimized and standard reaction conditions were determined. Under these conditions the scope of this new protocol was evaluated. Nine activated olefins and 33 aldehydes were converted into 42 highly functionalized alkenes. Notably, aromatic, aliphatic as well as heteroaromatic aldehydes could be converted, giving the desired products in isolated yields up to 99 % and with good to excellent E/Z selectivities. These results underline the remarkable efficiency of this protocol considering the complexity of the reaction mixture and the four reaction steps that proceed in parallel in one pot.

This novel base‐free Wittig reaction uses a readily available phosphine oxide as precatalyst and trimethoxy silane as reducing agent.

The title compound, C17H18O5, was synthesized by a base-free catalytic Wittig reaction. The mol­ecule consists of a diethyl itaconate unit, which is connected via the C=C double bond to a benzo­furan moiety. The benzo­furan ring system (r.m.s. deviation = 0.007 Å) forms dihedral angles of 79.58 (4) and 12.12 (10)° with the mean planes through the cis and trans eth­oxy­carbonyl groups, respectively. An intra­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bond involving the O atom of the benzo­furan moiety is observed. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked into ribbons running parallel to the b axis by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.