A. The mechanism of the Wittig reaction is re-interpreted on the basis of new experimental and theoretical results. B. Reactions of trimethylsilylated phosphorus ylides are described. They allow a reversal of the stereochemistry of the Wittig reaction. C. The preparative possibilities of the reaction of N-phenyl-ketenylidenetriphenylphosphorane with carbon acids are presented and the synthesis of the tetramer of phenyl isonitrile is reported. D. The results of investigations into the reactions of Hexaphenylcarbodiphosphorane are presented. A. The Wittig Reaction Detailed investigations have led us to propose a new mechanism for the Wittig reaction.123 Ylides, (1), and aldehydes, (2), combine to give oxaphosphetanes, (3), in which the 0-atom occupies an apical position on the pentavalent phosphorus and in which the substituents on the four membered ring are B to one another. Cleavage of the original. ylid C-P bond, which is necessary for formation of the olefin, requires a ligand reorganisation process (pseudorotation) which brings this bond to an apical position,The opening of the C-P bond to give the betain (5) occurs during or after the conversion to the trigonal bipyramidal structure (u).The electronic nature of the substituents R1 and R2 in (5) is instrumental in determining the stereochemistry of the product olef in. When R1 phenyl electron donating R2 substituents cause a very fast elimination of the phosphine oxide, giving B olefins (7). Electron-withdrawing R2 groups (R1phenyl) extend the lifetime of (5), which can now isomerise to the thermodynamically more stable (6), from which phosphine oxide elimination gives E-olef ins (8). If the ligands R1 on phosphorus are electron-donating the rate of the phosphine oxide elimination is also decreased. In this case strongly increased formation of E-olefins is observed, compared to R1C6H5, even when R2 is an electron donor.