The preparation of α-substituted acrylic esters

Treatment of the lithium enolates of cyclopentadiene-blocked acrylates with various electrophilic reagents, such as alkyl chloroformates, α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, epoxides, episulfides, and α-halocarbonyl compounds, has led to a convenient synthetic method for the preparation of α-substituted acrylic esters.