3,3-Disubstituted prop-2-enoic acids were selectively prepared in good yields under mild experimental conditions via palladium-catalysed cross-coupling of 3-substituted 3-iodobut-2-enoic acids with miscellaneous organometallic reagents using dichlorobis(acetonitrile)palladium(II) as catalyst and DMF as solvent.
Stereoselective synthesis of alkylidene butenolides was achieved from (2Z,4E)-dienoic acids by a sequence involving halocyclisation and elimination reactions. Selectivity was found to be highly dependent on the nature of the substituents. This methodology has been applied to the synthesis of a retinoid containing the alkylidene butenolide core.