Reaction of carboxylic acids with diethyl phosphorocyanidate; a novel synthesis of homologated α-hydroxycarboxylic acids from carboxylic acids

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(98)02099-1

Carboxylic acids react with 2 equivalents of diethyl phosphorocyanidate in the presence of triethylamine to give dicyanophosphates in good yields; these dicyanophosphates can be hydrolyzed easily to give homologated α- hydroxycarboxylic acids.