Study on Synthesis of E-2-substituted Phenyl-3-substituted Arylacrylic Acid

The title compounds were synthesized by 4-nitrophenyl acetic acid and aromatic aldehyde in acetic anhydride as solvent. The optimum reaction conditions obtained by experiment program were that the reaction temperature was 80 ℃,and the reaction time was 20 min,with K 2 CO 3 as a catalyst. The highest yield can reach 84. 6%. Under this condition,the four target compounds were synthesized. The method was simple and feasible.