To a microwave vial, 3-(4-bromophenoxy)-6-methoxybenzo[b]thiophene (4 g, 11.93 mmol), tert-butyl acrylate (10.49 mL, 71.6 mmol), and Pd(PPh3)2Cl2 (1.256 g, 1.79 mmol) were suspended in DMF (12 mL) and triethylamine (8.32 mL, 59.7 mmol). The reaction was heated for 60 min at 120° C. under microwave irradiation. The reaction mixture was diluted with DCM and water. The organic layer was collected (phase separator) and concentrated to obtain the crude product. The crude material was purified by column chromatography (SiO2, 1-20% EtOAc/Heptane) to afford (E)-tert-butyl 3-(4-((6-methoxybenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)oxy)phenyl)acrylate (3 g, 7.84 mmol, 66% yield) as a white solid. 1H NMR (CDCl3) δ ppm=7.45-7.63 (m, 4H), 7.27-7.33 (m, 1H), 7.03-7.13 (m, 2H), 6.99 (dd, J=8.8, 2.3 Hz, 1H), 6.66 (s, 1H), 6.30 (d, J=16.2 Hz, 1H), 3.90 (s, 3H), 1.55 (s, 9H).
