A convenient, high yield and general method is described for the synthesis of difengpin (8a) and aryl cinnamates (8b-h and 9a,b) from benzaldehydes (7a-h).

A convenient, high yield and general method is described for the synthesis of cinnamyl cinnamates (1a-f, 2a-c and 2e) from benzaldehydes (7a-f). The aldehydes (7a-f) on reaction with phosphorane (6) provide the (E,E)-cinnamyl cinnamates (1a-f) in high yields together with the (E,Z)-esters (2a-c and 2e) in low yields in the same reaction.

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