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The Wittig and Related Reactions in Natural Product Synthesis
Author(s) -
Nicolaou K. C.,
Härter Michael W.,
Gunzner Janet L.,
Nadin Alan
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
liebigs annalen
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.825
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1099-0690
pISSN - 0947-3440
DOI - 10.1002/jlac.199719970704
Subject(s) - wittig reaction , chemistry , sophistication , natural product , organic chemistry , organic synthesis , biochemical engineering , engineering , catalysis , philosophy , aesthetics
Originally reported in Liebigs Annalen in 1953 (then called Justus Liebigs Annalen der Chemie ), the Wittig reaction has evolved to include the Horner–Wittig and Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reactions and several other variations. Today, these reactions constitute some of the most powerful processes for the construction of carbon–carbon bond frameworks, facilitating the chemical synthesis of myriads of organic molecules both in research laboratories and industrial settings. The Wittig and related reactions were proven particularly useful in the field of total synthesis, where they enabled the construction of highly complex structures and had a significant impact in shaping the art to its present state of sophistication. In this article the authors focus, after a brief introduction, on total syntheses from their own laboratories that employ such processes. These examples, together with the numerous others adorning the chemical literature, illustrate amply the importance of the Wittig and related reactions and point to their continuing prominence in organic synthesis.