Palladium-catalyzed reaction of CH2C(R)COOMe (R=H or CH2OH) with PhI in the presence of NEt3 under O2 induces the oxidative dealkylation of NEt3, affording either methyl 3-diethylaminopropionate (3) or methyl (Z)-2-benzyl-3-(N,N′-diethylamino)propenate (6), in case of R=H or R=CH2OH, respectively.