Tandem Chlorination - Oxidation - Wittig Reactions: An Efficient Approach to (Z)-α-chloro-α,β-unsaturated esters

In this study, a series of the (Z)-α-chloro-α,β-unsaturated esters 3 were efficiently prepared in a one- pot sequence. In the presence of N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) and manganese dioxide, under ultrasonication conditions, (carboethoxymethylene)triphenylphosphorane 1 underwent tandem chlorination/oxidation/Wittig olefination sequence with the activated alcohol 2, to afford (Z)-α-chloro-α,β-unsaturated esters in moderate to good yields.

Mujeeb Abdullah Sultan, Hana'a Al-Shamari, Hoda Abdelall, Abdulrahman Ibrahim Almansour and Usama Karama