1. For reviews in this area, see: (a)The Total Synthesis of Natural ProductsApSimon, J. W. Ed., John Wiley & Sons: New York: 1973; Vol. 1, p 81; 1973, Vol. 2, p 1, p 197; 1981, Vol. 4, p 353, p 451; 1983, Vol. 5, p 1; 1983, Vol. 7, p 275. (b) Mitra, A.The Synthesis ofProstaglandins; John Wiley & Sons: New York, 1977. (c) Trost, B. M.Chem. Soc. Rev.1982,11, 141. (d) Paquette, L. A.; Doherty, A. M.Polyquinane Chemistry; Springer Verlag: Berlin, 1987. (e) Ramaiah, M.Synthesis1984, 529. (f) Paquette, L. A.Top. Curr. Chem.1984,119, 1. (g) Curran, D. P.Synthesis1988,417, 489. (h) Shore. N. E. InComprehensive OrganicSynthesis; Trost, B. M., Fleming, I., Eds.; Pergamon: Oxford, 1991; Vol. 5, p 1037. For some recent studies on this area, see: (i) Trost, B. M.; Hashmi, A. S. K.J. Am. Chem. Soc.1994,116, 2183. (j) Negishi, E.; Jensen, M. D.; Kondakov, D. Y.; Wang, S.J. Am. Chem. Soc.1994,116, 8404. (k) Lee, B. Y.; Chung, Y. K.J. Am. Chem. Soc.1994,116, 8793. (l) Sturino, C. F.; Fallis, A. G.J. Am. Chem. Soc.1994,116, 7447. (m) Feldman, K. S.; Schildknegt, K.J. Org.Chem.1994,59, 1129. (n) Wu, Y.J.; Zhu, Y.Y.; Burnell, D. J.J. Org. Chem.1994,59, 104. (o) Zora, M.; Herndon, J. W.J. Org. Chem.1994,59, 699. (p) Liebeskind, L. S.; Bombrun, A.J. Org. Chem.1994,59, 1149 and referenced cited therein.
2. An efficient method for the preparation of alkylidenecyclopropanes