Reactions of triphenylphosphine with 2,3-dihalo-2-methylpropionic acids and their methyl esters

Triphenylphosphine reacts with 2,3-dichloro-2-methylpropionic acid and its ester along the dehydrochlorination pathway with the participation of the less labile hydrogen atom from the methyl group. The subsequent reaction of the unsaturated product with triphenylphosphine yields 2-carboxypropane- and 2-methoxycarbonylpropane-1,3-diylbis(triphenylphosphonium) dichlorides, respectively. The unusual course of dehydrochlorination may be due to easier electron density transfer from the C-H bond of the methyl group as compared to the chloromethyl group in the carbocationoid intermediate. With the bromine analogs, the reaction pathways are different. The ester reacts similarly to dibromopropionic acid and its derivatives, following the debromination scheme, whereas the free acid gives the product of double nucleophilic substitution.