Syntheses of Substituted 2-Phenyl α β-Unsaturated Aliphatic Acids

Additions of long chain aliphatic aldehydes in controlled basic media on 5-hydroxy 2-coumaranone or on 3-isochromanone give the corresponding ene-lactones (46–55%). Hydrolysis of the lactone ring leads to substituted 2-phenyl α β -unsaturated aliphatic acids from which stable K-salts or methyl esters were obtained.