Improved Syntheses of Vinyl Imidazoles1

Abstract A series of vinylimidazoles were synthesized via Wittig reactions on N-tritylimidazole-4-carboxaldehyde. Activated phosphonate ylids afforded yields in excess of 90% while the yields from unactivated ylids ranged from 10–82%. The trityl group may be removed by mild acid hydrolysis in high yield.