1. Who received the Noble Prize for the discovery of the Wittigreaction?
2. The Wittig reaction usually gives a mixture of cis and transisomers, yet in this
reaction, only the trans isomer is formed. The stereochemistry ofproduct is set
in the first step of the reaction of the ylid with the aldehyde.Draw the
intermediate oxaphosphetane that leads to the trans-alkenegeometry, and the
one that would lead to the cis - alkene geometry, showing thestereochemistry at
all of the chiral centers. Can you suggest a reason for the factthat only the trans
alkene is formed?
3. It is often possible to make an alkene from two differentcombinations of a
carbonyl group and a phosphonium salt. What is the othercombination of
carbonyl compound and phosphonium ylide that could be used to makethe
product in this reaction?
