Author(s)

Thies Thiemann^1*, Mohamed W. Elshorbagy², Mostafa H. F. A. Salem², Siraj A. N. Ahmadani², Yosef Al-Jasem², Mariam Al Azani¹, Mazen A. M. Al-Sulaibi¹, Bassam Al-Hindawi¹

¹Department of Chemistry, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
²Department of Chemical Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.

Wittig reactions of benzaldehydes, alkanals, and cycloalkanals as well as of acetophenones are carried out with alkoxycarbonyl methylidenetriphenylphosphoranes in 10 w% aqueous NaOH, where the cinnamates and alkenoates produced are hydrolysed in situ and the corresponding acids are obtained after mostly simple extractive work-up, often without employing organic solvents. Under the same conditions, benzaldehydes are reacted with alkoxycarbonyl bromomethy-lidenephosphorane to produce 3-arylprop-2-ynoic acids (arylpropiolic acids).

Carboxylic Acids, Arylpropiolic Acids, Wittig Olefination, One Pot Reaction, Aqueous Reaction Medium, Dehydrobromination, Hydrolysis

Thiemann, T. , Elshorbagy, M. , Salem, M. , Ahmadani, S. , Al-Jasem, Y. , Azani, M. , Al-Sulaibi, M. and Al-Hindawi, B. (2016) Facile, Direct Reaction of Benzaldehydes to 3-Arylprop-2-Enoic Acids and 3-Arylprop-2-Ynoic Acids in Aqueous Medium. International Journal of Organic Chemistry, 6, 126-141. doi: 10.4236/ijoc.2016.62014.