Terminal epoxides undergo lithium 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide-induced α-lithiation and subsequent interception with Ph(3)P to provide a new and direct entry to β-lithiooxyphosphonium ylides. The intermediacy of such an ylide is demonstrated by representative alkene-forming reactions with chloromethyl pivalate, benzaldehyde and CD(3)OD, giving a Z-allylic pivalate, a conjugated E-allylic alcohol and a partially deuterated terminal alkene, respectively, in modest yields.
Keywords: alkenes; epoxides; lithiation; synthetic methods; ylide.