Palladium-catalyzed cross coupling reaction of benzyl bromides with diazoesters for stereoselective synthesis of (E)-alpha,beta-diarylacrylates.

A Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of benzyl bromides with alpha-aryldiazoesters is described, and E-alpha,beta-diarylacrylates were obtained in good yields and excellent E-to-Z selectivity (>20:1).