The in situ oxidation-Wittig reaction of alpha-hydroxyketones

In situ oxidation-Wittig methodology has been applied to alpha-hydroxyketones avoiding the problems normally associated with alpha-ketoaldehydes; the procedure is practically simple, and in many cases gives high yields of the product gamma-ketocrotonates; the procedure has also been successfully utilised with ethyl glycolate and glycolaldehyde dimer.