The Heck-Matsuda arylation of 2-hetero-substituted acrylates

The Heck-Matsuda arylation of 2-aza and 2-oxo-substituted acrylates is described. Several reaction conditions were evaluated including the influence of solvents, temperature, catalysts, and stoichiometry. While the oxygenated system was successfully arylated in benzonitrile with Pd₂(dba)₃ as catalyst, the aza-acrylate furnished methoxylated products. The methoxylated products were subjected to an elimination/reduction protocol to obtain the corresponding N,O-protected phenylalanine derivatives. A one-pot procedure for the preparation of phenylalanine derivatives from 2-aza-substituted acrylates is presented.