Bis(2- t-butylphenyl)phosphonoacetamides for the highly cis-selective synthesis of α,β-unsaturated amides

Abstract

New Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reagents, ( o- t-BuPhO) 2P(O)CH 2CONMe(OMe) and ( o- t-BuPhO) 2P(O)CH 2CON(CH 2CH 2) 2O were prepared via the Arbuzov reaction in good yields. The HWE reaction of these reagents with a variety of aldehydes gave cis-α,β-unsaturated amides with high selectivity in almost quantitative yields.