A microwave vial was charged with dimethyl 4-bromoisophthalate (Example 88A, 500 mg, 1.83 mmol), acrylonitrile (117 mg, 2.20 mmol), N,N-dicyclohexylmethylamine (429 mg, 2.20 mmol), tri-tert-butylphosphine (0.11 mL, 0.11 mmol, 1.0 M in toluene), tris(dibenzylideneacetone)dipalladium(0) (50.3 mg, 0.055 mmol), and 1,4-dioxane (1.4 mL) under nitrogen. The reaction mixture was heated to 80° C. in an oil bath for 4 hours. Reaction was complete as indicated by thin layer chromatography (40% ethyl acetate/hexane). The reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and diluted with ethyl acetate. Filtration removed HBr salts. The filtrate was concentrated. The residue was triturated with ethyl acetate/hexane (1:6) to provide dimethyl 4-(2-cyanovinyl)isophthalate as a mixture of trans and cis isomers (ratio 5.5:1) which was used in next step without further purification.
