5-Aryl and 5-alkyl substituted (E)-3-[1-(aryl)methylidene]- and (E)-3-(1-alkylidene)-3H-furan-2-ones, (E)-9, have been selectively synthesized by cyclization of the corresponding (E)-2-(1-alkynyl)-3-aryl/alkylpropenoic acids, (E)-11, in the presence of AgNO3 or Pd-catalysts such as trans-di(μ-acetato)bis[(di-o-tolylphosphino)benzyl]dipalladium(II) or that constituted of a mixture of Et3N and PdCl2(PhCN)2