Preparation and application of functional polymers—II. Preparation of vinyl ethers and thioethers using polymer-supported phosphonium salts

Insoluble polystyryldiphenyl-methoxymethyl- and methylthiomethyl-phosphonium chlorides have been prepared by treating polystyryldiphenylphosphine with chloromethylmethyl-ether and thioether respectively. These reagents were used for the conversion under mild conditions of carbonyl compounds into vinyl-ethers and thioethers, otherwise difficult to obtain; yields are high and work-up is easy. Moreover, methyl and ethyl β-styryl ethers were also prepared from the polymeric phosphorane by treatment with formate esters.