The preparation of the monounsaturated fatty acid, trans-vaccenic acid (TVA), using both Wittig and one-pot Julia-Kocieński olefination protocol, was achieved in good yield. Similarly a Wittig approach was employed for the stereoselective synthesis of cis-9-trans-11- conjugated linoleic acid from trans-2-nonenal and (8-carboxyoctyl) triphenylphosphonium bromide.
