Preparation of (cyanomethylene)trimethylphosphorane as a new Mitsunobu-type reagent.

(Cyanomethylene)trimethylphosphorane (CMMP) mediates Mitsunobu-type reactions, which are a versatile method for the alkylation of various nucleophiles (HA) with alcohols (ROH) to give RA. CMMP is quite effective for the reaction of carbon nucleophiles whose pK(a) value are higher than 13. CMMP, which is very sensitive to air and moisture, was synthesized in two steps starting from chloroacetonitrile.