Palladium Catalysed Reactions of Baylis-Hillman Products: Synthesis of Some Useful Intermediates

Abstract
Acetates derived from Baylis-Hillman products were reacted with sodio dimethyl (or diethyl) malonate under Pd(0) catalysis to form E olefins as the major products. Likewise, the Heck reaction with these acetates as well as with the corresponding alcohols form a variety of useful intermediates which include trisubstituted olefinic compounds and α-benzyl β-keto esters.