A New General Synthesis of Aliphatic and Terminal Alkynes: Flash Vacuum Pyrolysis of β-Oxoalkylidenetriphenylphosphoranes
By using flash vacuum conditions the thermal elimination of Ph3PO from β-oxoalkylidenetriphenylphosphoranes, previously confined to cases with an α-electron withdrawing group, has been extended to provide a general, high yielding synthesis of aliphatic and terminal alkynes.