Wittig reaction of the derived phosphorane with aldehydes and ketones gives enol ethers, readily hydrolyzed to homologous aldehydes. For an example (adamantanone to adamantanecarboxaldehyde), see: Chem. Ber., 95, 2514 (1962). For use of the reaction in the synthesis of hydroisoquinoline AMPA antagonists, see: J. Med. Chem., 39, 2219 (1996). Reaction with chiral 2,3-epoxyaldehydes provides an enantioselective synthesis of (E)-4-hydroxyalkenes: J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 232 (1993).
