A convenient and mild chromatography-free method for the purification of the products of Wittig and Appel reactions

A mild method for the facile removal of phosphine oxide from the crude products of Wittig and Appel reactions is described. Work-up with oxalyl chloride to generate insoluble chlorophosphonium salt (CPS) yields phosphorus-free products for a wide variety of these reactions. The CPS product can be further converted into phosphine.