Arylalkene synthesis via decarboxylative cross-coupling of alkenyl halides.

A bimetallic catalyst system generated from readily available palladium(II) and copper(I) salts, 1,10-phenanthroline and tri-1-naphthylphosphine was found to efficiently mediate the decarboxylative cross-coupling of alkenyl bromides and chlorides with aromatic carboxylates. It allows the regiospecific synthesis of a broad range of aryl- and heteroarylalkenes in high yields.