Breaking the ring through a room temperature catalytic Wittig reaction.

One ring no longer rules them all: Employment of 2.5-10 mol % of 4-nitrobenzoic acid with phenylsilane led to the development of a room temperature catalytic Wittig reaction (see scheme). Moreover, these enhanced reduction conditions also facilitated the use of acyclic phosphine oxides as catalysts for the first time. A series of alkenes were produced in moderate to high yield and selectivity.