PROCESS FOR PREPARING CINNAMIC ACIDS AND ALKYL ESTERS THEREOF

摘要

A process for producing cinnamic acids and alkyl esters thereof, particularly, fluorinated cinnamic acids and alkyl esters thereof. The process comprises reacting the appropriate bromobenzene and acrylic acid ester in a palladium-catalyzed HECK reaction under JEFFREY conditions using a phase-transfer catalyst (PTC) and an organic base to produce the corresponding cinnamic acid ester, and then preferably hydrolyzing the resulting ester under appropriate basic conditions, e.g. in the presence of a hydroxide, and precipitating the corresponding cinnamic acid product.