Expedient synthesis of novel β-ketoesters from the Mizoroki-Heck coupling of ethyl 3-ethoxyacrylate with aryl and pyridyl halides

It is well known that β-ketoesters are useful intermediates for the synthesis of a range of heterocyclic templates. While there are many useful synthetic methods available to access these intermediates, there are still opportunities for the discovery of useful methodologies for their construction from novel starting materials. In this regard, we report on the discovery of a facile Pd-catalyzed Mizoroki-Heck coupling of ethyl 3-ethoxyacrylate with aryl and heteroaryl halides to form substituted alkoxyacrylates which can be hydrolyzed to form novel aryl and heteroaryl β-ketoesters.