Question

You did not prepare your own benzyltriphenylphosphonim chloride (PhCH2PPh3Cl, Wittig salt). Write a reaction showing how the Wittig salt is prepared from benzyl chloride (PhCH2Cl).

Answer 1

The formed wittig reagent is
`ph-CH =PPh_(3)`

Step-by-step explanation:

Wittig reagent are usually prepared from a phosphonium salt which is obtained by the reaction of triphenyl Phosphine with an alkyl halide via an Sn² reaction.

The alkyl phosphonium salt is deprotonated with a strong base (C₄H₉Li) or, Butyl lithium.