1,4-Diiodo-2,5-dimethoxy-benzene (3.750 g; 9.616 mmol), 7-ethynyl-pentadecane (4.2) (5.116 g; 21.637 mmol), PdCl2(PPh3)2 (0.169 g; 240 μmol) and copper iodide (0.092 g; 481 μmol) are dissolved into tetrahydrofuran (50 cm3) and triethylamine (50 cm3). The resulting mixture is degassed for 30 minutes and then stirred at 60° C. for 17 hours. The solvent is removed in vacuo and the crude product purified by column chromatography (gradient from 100:00 to 75:25, Petroleum ether (40-60° C.) and dichlorobenzene) to afford a light yellow oil which crystallises upon standing (4.90 g, Yield: 84%). NMR (1H, 300 MHz, CDCl3): δ 6.83 (s, 2H); 3.81 (s, 6H); 2.59 (m, 2H); 1.53 (m, 16H); 1.31 (m, 32H); (m, 12H).
