Wittig reaction of formyl-substituted organotrifluoroborates and stabilized phosphonium ylides in an aqueous medium

The synthesis of unsaturated organotrifluoroborates using the Wittig alkenation is described. These transformations to disubstituted alkenes were achieved by using formyl-substituted organotrifluoroborates and stabilized ylides using water as a solvent. The products were isolated in moderate to excellent yields and the reaction gave preferentially the E-isomer.