Ethenolate Transfer Reactions: A Facile Synthesis of Vinyl Esters

A simple and efficient metal‐free ethenolate transfer reaction has been elaborated in moderate‐to‐high yields from vinyl acetate. This reaction was accomplished by generation of potassium ethenolate, which was then reacted with homo and mixed anhydrides of aliphatic, aryl and heteroaryl acids, to yield the corresponding vinyl esters. The utility of thus generated vinyl esters was then probed by carrying out intramolecular Heck reactions to give isobenzofuran‐1(3H)‐one derivatives in excellent yields.