A Remarkably Efficient Synthesis of Pure cis-Stilbenoid Hydrocarbons Using trans-Dibromoalkenes via Palladium Catalysis

A remarkably versatile synthesis of cis-stilbenoid hydrocarbons containing highly functionalized phenyl groups is developed via an efficient palladium-catalyzed coupling of aryl Grignard reagents with trans-1,2-dibromoalkenes (generally obtained via bromination of the corresponding dialkylacetylenes) in tetrahydrofuran.