One‐Pot Wittig Reactions in Aqueous Media: A Rapid and Environmentally Benign Synthesis of α,β‐Unsaturated Carboxylic Esters and Nitriles

One‐pot Wittig reactions of ethyl bromoacetate and bromoacetonitrile with aldehydes in the presence of PPh3 and LiOH in water were investigated. Most of the olefination reactions completed within 5–120 min in refluxing water containing 1.2 M LiCl to afford the olefin products in 71–97% yields with 100:0–55:45 ratios of E:Z isomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]