Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction

noun

A chemical reaction used in organic chemistry of stabilized phosphonate carbanions with aldehydes (or ketones) to produce predominantly E-alkenes.

Similar
Horner-Wittig reaction
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Meanings

nounHorner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction (plural Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reactions)

plural Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reactions · alternative HWE reaction

  1. A chemical reaction used in organic chemistry of stabilized phosphonate carbanions with aldehydes (or ketones) to produce predominantly E-alkenes.

    Synonyms: Horner-Wittig reaction

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA chemical reaction used in organic chemistry of stabilized phosphonate carbanions with aldehydes (or ketones) to produce predominantly E-alkenes.

Similar
Horner-Wittig reaction
Also see
horner-wittig reaction

Origin

In 1958, Leopold Horner published a modified Wittig reaction using phosphonate-stabilized carbanions. William S. Wadsworth and William D. Emmons further defined the reaction.

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Cite this entry
APA

Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons%20reaction

MLA

“Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons%20reaction. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons%20reaction.

Source: Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.