Highly regioselective Wittig reactions of cyclic ketones with a stabilized phosphorus ylide under controlled microwave heating

Significant base and temperature effects on the Wittig reactions of cyclohexanones with (carbethoxymethylene)triphenylphosphorane under microwave irradiation were observed. For the Wittig reactions carried out in a domestic microwave oven under solvent-free conditions, the initially formed exo-olefin products isomerized into the thermodynamically more stable endo-olefins due to uncontrolled high reaction temperature. In sharp contrast, under controlled microwave heating, both exo- and endo-olefins have been selectively synthesized by accurately regulating the reaction temperature with or without a base. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.