Two carbon homologated α,β-unsaturated aldehydes from alcohols using the in situoxidation–Wittig reaction

Abstract

The in situ oxidation–Wittig reaction, followed by subsequent hydrolysis, has been applied to the conversion of primary alcohols into α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. This conversion, which proceeds via the intermediacy of the homologated unsaturated dioxolanes, gives good to excellent yields with a range of benzylic alcohols and heterocyclic methanols.