Wittig Reaction

Overview

A reaction mainly involves the

transformation of a KETONE to ALKENE
by forming a carbon-carbon bond
through the carbonyl carbon.

A reagent called phosphorane is used

to complete this transformation.
Phosphorane belongs to a group as
ylide
The Development
Georg Wittig was awarded with Herbert C. Brown the 1979 Nobel Prize in
Chemistry for their work on the use of boron and phosphorus compounds into
reagents for various synthesis of organic compounds such as the Wittig
reagent.

Georg Wittig
It was in 1947 that Georg Wittig discovered ylides (compounds containing
neutral dipolar molecule)

Herbert C. Brown
The Reaction
Mechanism
of the
Reaction
Reference
Klein, D. (2012). Organic Chemistry. Danvers: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Nobelprize.org. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1979. Nobel Media AB
2014,http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/19
79 (accessed August 2017)
Williamson, K., & Masters, K. (2011). Macroscale and Microscale
Organic Experiments (6th ed.). Belmont: Brooks/Cole.