Reaction of 2,3-dihalopropionic acids and their derivatives with P- and N-nucleophiles

3-(Triphenylphosphoniochlorido)acrylic and 2,3-dichloropropionic acids react with triphenylphosphine to form 1,2-bis(triphenylphosphoniochlorido)ethane. Under analogous conditions, 2,3-dibromopropionic acid undergoes debromination followed by triphenylphosphine addition to give, after water treatment, 3-(triphenylphosphoniobromido)propionic acid. 2,3-Dihalopropionitriles react similarly, providing 3-(triphenylphosphoniohalido)propionitriles. The reaction of 2,3-dibromopropionamide with triphenylphosphine was performed to show that E-(triphenylphosphoniobromido)acrylic acid is capable, by contrast to what was reported previously, of reacting with triphenylphosphine. Pyridine forms with 2,3-dihalopropionic acids vinylpyridinium halides, while the reactions with aliphatic amines gives rise to dehydrohalogenation products.