SYNTHESIS OF NEW COMPLEX YLIDENETRIPHENYLPHOSPHORANES FROM THE REACTION OF ARYLIDENEMALONONITRILES WITH WITTIG-REAGENTS

The resonance-stabilized Wittig reagent 2 adds to the exocyclic ethyle nic linkage of the arylidenemalononitriles 1a-g to yield the new compl ex ylidenetriphenylphosphoranes 4a-g. The reaction is regiospecific wh ich yields the E conformers of structure ''4c.'' Possible reaction mec hanisms are considered and structures of the new products were confirm ed on the basis of elemental analyses and spectral studies.