Some reactions of arsenic ylids.

The preparation and reactions of arsonium ylids has been reviewed. A critical comparison of phosphorus and arsenic has been made in an attempt to correlate the bonding and chemistry of their ylids. A study of the reaction of alkylidenearsoranes with carbonyl compounds has been carried out and has led to some understanding of the factors which control the formation of olefins or epoxides. An investigation of the experimental conditions necessary for the preparation of arsonium ylids was made in an endeavour to prepare the unreported alpha-alkyl-beta-ketoarsonium ylids. The course of the reaction of both alkylidenearsoranes and beta-ketoalkylidenearsoranes with various functional groups has been investigated.