A mixture of methyl acrylate (15.9 mL, 176 mmol) and bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium (II) chloride (0.99 g, 1.4 mmol) in 125 mL dimethylformamide and 125 mL triethylamine was heated to reflux for 1 hour and then 2,4,6-triisopropylbromobenzene (10.0 g, 35 mmol) was added. Reflux was continued for 6 hours and then stirred at room temperature for 16 hours. Partitioned the reaction between water and diethyl ether. The ether layer was dried with MgSO4, filtered, and concentrated to give a brown oil. Chromatography (SiO2, eluant=5% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave 3.80 g of 3-[2,4,6-tris(1-methylethyl)phenyl]-2-propenyl carboxylic acid, methyl ester as an off-white solid, mp 61°-63° C.
