Abstract
We report here a new strategy to produce 2,3,3-triarylacrylic acid esters, a class
of 1,2,2-triarylethene compounds with an α,β-unsaturated ester functionality. Our
approach requires the preparation of a gem-dibromoalkene precursor from an α-keto ester, followed by the installation of two
aryl groups by Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions on the two C–Br bonds. Many 2,3,3-triarylacrylic
acid esters with one, two, or three different aryl groups were obtained with complete
regio- and stereocontrol in most cases.
Key words
triarylethene - triarylacrylic acid -
gem-dibromoalkene - double Suzuki–Miyaura coupling - stereoselective Suzuki–Miyaura coupling