Wittig reaction of 1-dicyanomethyleneacenaphthen-2-one

The Wittig reaction of the titled compound 2 with alkoxycarbonylmethylenetriphenylphosphoranes ( 1a,b ) has been investigated and the reaction products 6, 10 , and 11 isolated and identified. On the other hand, reaction of 2 with benzoylmethylenetriphenyl-phosphorane ( 1c ) proceeded only at high temperature, yielding 7c and 10 . Mechanisms accounting for the formation of the adducts are discussed, and the synthetic utility of the products were tested.