Carbene intermediates in the reaction of trialkyl phosphites with dialkyl aroylphosphonates: formation of novel quasiphosphonium ylides

Abstract

Reaction of trialkyl phosphites with dialkyl aroylphosphonates leads to the formation of anionic intermediates which, in the absence of electrophiles, undergo cleavage at temperatures above about 80 °C to give carbene intermediates; these undergo intramolecular carbene insertion reactions or are trapped by trialkyl phosphites to give novel ylides.