Synthesis of Stilbenes

A review of synthetic methods leading to stilbenes and stilbene derivatives with substituted aromatic rings is presented. First, reduction, dehydrogenation, and elimination reactions leading to stilbenes without formation of new carbon-carbon bonds are discussed. Synthetically more important are the dimerization reactions: oxidative or eliminative dimerization of a suitable methylarene often constitutes the method of choice for the preparation of a symmetric stilbene. Meerwein arylation and Heck reaction are prominent examples for the synthesis of stilbenes from arenes and styrenes treated in the next section. Finally, condensation reactions of a nucleophilic with an electrophilic arylmethyl derivative are discussed. These include Knoevenagel type reactions and the very general Wittig and Wittig-Horner reactions. 1 .Introduction 2. Stilbenes by Oxidation, Reduction, or Elimination Reactions from other Diaryl Compounds 3. Symmetric Stilbenes by Dimerization Reactions 4. Coupling of Aromatic Compounds with Styrenes and other Vinylarenes 5. Condensation of a Nucleophilic with an Electrophilic Arylmethyl Compound